Unexpected Beginnings: The Story of Evalane Potter
by kcywrite
Summary: Everyone knows and loves the story of Harry Potter, but what if he had an older sister no one knew about? A sister no one remembered? And what if she just so happened to be best friends with the future greatest consulting detective in the world?
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: All characters and places belong to the wonderful J.K. Rowling as well as BBC's Sherlock and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I can only take credit for my OCs and the wild ride I'm about to take them on! This is my first fanfiction, so thank you for giving it a read! Much love and don't be shy to leave a review! xx

Prologue

"Lily, look! He's walking!" James's arms reached out to the bumbling one year old boy who was giggling uncontrollably as he stumbled over to his father. The infant's chubby legs could not hold the child's weight for longer than a few moments, and the boy collapsed into his father's warm embrace. A sound of surprise and joy leapt from the throat of Lily Potter, and she rushed from her nearly boiling kettle of water for their evening tea to her husband.

"That's my boy!" Lily pressed her lips onto her son's head, not noticing her fiery red hair was falling into Harry Potter's face and managed to get entwined between his small fingers. "Oi! No Harry, don't pull Mummy's hair!" Though her voice was stern, the smile spreading across her face betrayed any authority she had over her son.

"Look at him," James stuck out his chest with pride, like the mighty lion that he was, and grinned at his mini partner-in-crime. "He's going to grow up and be the best Seeker Hogwarts has ever seen. You just wait, Lils. I'll bet he gets on the Gryffindor Quidditch team his first year!"

"What about me?" A tiny voice spoke up from around the corner, and a small girl stood timidly in the corner in scarlet and gold pajamas. Her raven black hair laid askew on her head, and as she held her thumb in her mouth, her brilliant emerald eyes widened. "What about me, Papa?"

"You, Miss Evalane," James extended his free arm out to the distressed toddler, and he pulled her onto his lap comfortingly. "You will also play Quidditch, but that will not be the only thing you excel at, no. You will be top of your class and be Head Girl because you are smarter and work harder than any of the other students. You will break every boy's heart because you are smart, athletic, and just like your mum, overwhelmingly beautiful. Not that I'll let you date any boys until you're at least forty years old."

Lily Potter simply watched this heartwarming scene unfold, not wanting to interrupt her husband's speech because while James Potter was a brilliant man, his intelligence clawing itself onto the surface was a rarity. However, ever since the children were born, James was growing away from his old habits of immaturity and pranks and becoming responsible and an admirable role model for Evalane and Harry. Lily's life was perfection wrapped up in a shiny red bow: a husband who would go to the ends of the earth just to see her smile, two beautiful children who had their parents' best features- James's striking black hair and her own emerald green eyes –and were growing up to have their own personalities, a house in a comfortable and safe neighborhood, and wonderful friends and family. Sometimes Lily forgot that she was only 21 years old and not in her eighties admiring how wonderful her life had been.

At least it _was_ wonderful before the rise of Voldemort. Lily and James had only been 19 when they got married and had Evalane, and thus began Voldemort's reign of terror. Everything they all had feared for years was coming true; the number of the deaths and disappearances across Great Britain were swelling like an unnoticed tumor. People she had gone to school with were standing with her on the battlefield…and some even on the other side…

Harry was one of the most exciting moments in their marriage- not only because James was over the moon to have a son to carry the Potter name –because no one thought something so beautiful and innocent could be in the same world as the darkness surrounding them. Dumbledore had been the one to tell them about the prophecy. Lily would never forget that day for the rest of her life. They had all been outside, James playing in the yard with Evalane while Lily sat on the porch with a newborn Harry cradled in her arms, when he came to them. He had a solemn look on his old and tired face, and he peered at the giggling Evalane through his half-moon spectacles and did not even crack a smile. Instead, a wave of sadness lingered in the Headmaster's eyes when he saw their little girl playing with a golden snitch.

"Hi!" Dumbledore barely glanced at the two year old and immediately approached the once again new mother with news of a new threat to the happy family.

"So You-Know-Who thinks our son…is this…"Chosen One?" But he's barely a week old! How could he possibly be a threat?" With every word, Lily pulled her child closer to her chest. Her world was crumbling before her eyes as the elderly wizard explained the Prophecy and how Voldemort somehow heard about the consequences of its fulfillment. The Potters had now been marked for death, and precautions needed to be made.

"Dumbledore said we need to choose a Secret Keeper in order for the spell to work." James spoke to Lily later that night when the children were finally asleep. Tears were brimming in his eyes, clouding his vision. "Someone who will know where we are until the war is over. Someone we know we can trust."

"What about Sirius?" The glass of firewhiskey was shaking in Lily's hand, and she took a long swig to allow the strong drink to ease her nerves for but a moment.

"He was my first choice as well," James sat next to his wife on the sofa her parents gave them as a wedding present. "But it would be too obvious. I can't risk putting you, our children, or even Sirius in danger. We need to find someone no one would suspect. Someone we can trust, but someone no one would expect us to entrust our lives with."

"Who did you have in mind?"

"What about Wormtail?"

"Do you really think Peter could handle something this important? I mean, he's afraid of his own shadow for Merlin's sake!"

"Of course he can handle it! He's a Gryffindor! A Marauder! There is not a single person in this world, besides Padfoot and Moony of course, who I would deem worthy for the job. I promise Lils that I will do everything in my power to keep you, Evalane, Harry, and even that damn cat that you insist on keeping here safe. I love you so much my lily flower, and I would go to the ends of the earth to make you happy. Anyone who threatens to take away that beautiful smile off your face is a walking dead man." Tears were flowing freely from both halves of the young couple's eyes, and Lily's knight in shining armor pressed his lips tenderly on her head. The sweet scent of her lavender shampoo clogged his nostrils and lungs, and James prayed to one day have the chance to witness his wife grow old with him. What once had been the inevitable began to feel like a hopeless fantasy: watching as her hair gracefully changed from a blazing red to a white snow, taking slow and meaningful walks in the park, having more children and eventually grandchildren together, and best of all, falling in love every damn time those green eyes locked with his own.

The morning of All Hollow's Eve did not feel like it was a special day. The Potters did not except this day would become monumental for not only their children, but for every being in the Wizarding world. To them, it was only the day Harry James Potter took his first steps. It was just another ordinary day in complete isolation. Towards the end of the day, James sat in the living room watching Evalane try to get Harry to walk again while his wife made supper in the kitchen.

"Harry! Over here!" Evalane stood on the opposite side of the room from her little brother, who was wobbling on his thick legs. She waved her arms about like a bird trying to take flight, and once Harry had stumbled half across the room, she ran to the other side. Harry tried to turn around, but he fell over himself and began to wail.

"Oh no! I so sorry Harry!" The older sister ran to her crying brother and wrapped him in a tight embrace. When he failed to cease his tears, Evalane lightly tickled his tummy until the cries evolved into joyous laughter from both children.

"What's going on in there James?" Lily called from the kitchen in an accusing tone, but her husband could not see her grin as she could mentally picture James's jaw dropping upon hearing her voice.

"I didn't do anything Lils! Evalane and Harry are just playing I promise!" James held up his hands in surrender as Lily sat down next to him.

"Oh I'm sure," Lily rolled her eyes sarcastically, and she laughed at her husband's protesting eyes.

"Is dinner ready?"

"No, the chicken is still cooking, and I'm not your maid James Potter. Dinner will be ready when I say it's ready!"

"Hey, I made supper last night! Not my fault I'm just excited for some of your cooking! You could still wear the outfit if you want…" James wrapped his arm around his wife and gave her butt a small squeeze. "I bet you would look so sexy in that little maid's dress." His whispered softly before kissing her lightly on the lips.

"You wish," Lily smiled at the goofy grin plastered on her lover's face and could feel the burning redness flush onto her cheeks.

"Mummy look what I did!" Evalane's mother turned to see her daughter had completed a one hundred piece puzzle that she and James had done only once before.

"Wow! Great job sweetheart!" she turned to her husband questioningly. "Did you help her with that?"

"No," James wore a baffled look on his handsome face. "I mean…she watched us do it last week, but even that took us a day or two to finish!"

The little girl smiled at her parents, who were completely flabbergasted at their daughter's brilliant memory. Evalane, of course, did not think what she had done was anything out of the ordinary; all she wanted was to be just like Mummy and Daddy and make the pretty picture again. James and Lily knew their daughter was extremely gifted; they had even spoken to their old Hogwarts professors about Evalane eventually beginning Hogwarts a year or two earlier than most students. She had been able to speak in complete sentences before she could walk, which is why her parents were cautious about not speaking of Voldemort around her.

"Have you thought about what I said earlier?" Lily held her breath while watching her husband's face tense at her question. Her heart began to race at immeasurable speeds while she waited for James to reply.

"About?" James tugged Harry's shirt back in place because he had made an ambitious attempt to take it off himself, but it had gotten stuck around his head.

"You know what James," Lily stomach dropped at her husband's dismissiveness to her question, and she could feel the negative answer looming over their heads.

"Oh, you mean what you said about Snivellus Snape." James spoke with such a bitterness at the very mention of the harsh nickname for Lily's old friend and James's long time enemy from Hogwarts that it could have turned a sugar biscuit rotten.

"Yes, about _Severus_ ," Lily carefully corrected him, hoping they could have a civilized conversation. She knew deep down that James's new maturity was being put to the final test, and if it failed, he could very easily slip back down the slippery slope into the person he used to be before Lily saved him. "What were you thinking about Severus?"

"You know how I feel about him Lily, and I thought you felt the same after he called you that horrible word," James's voice was heavy yet soft, as though he were holding back tears or white hot rage.

"Things are different now, James. If this horrible war ever ends, he's going to need friends to keep his head above water. I'm really worried about him. I know I should still be angry with him for what he said—and I suppose a part of me always will be –but if we've learned anything through this whole mess isn't it that life is too precious and short to hold grudges? He needs good people in his life, and I know we can help him. James, he needs us."

James Potter had never been one for forgiveness, especially when he felt they did not deserve it. Severus Snape was the one person in this world, besides Voldemort, who James knew he would never be able to forgive. He could recall that day just as vividly as Severus could, though he never realized this because he never had the opportunity to speak to him about the incident. After their O.W.L.s, James was planning on finally asking Lily out officially. No more games, just a good old fashioned date with some possible snogging later on. Snape had to get in the way, as usual, and Lily, as always, came to his defense. Up until this point, James had only targeted Snape because he loved how passionately Lily would argue with him over it. She had a fire in her eyes that made James's heart do somersaults in his chest. That day was different; after Snivellus had uttered the most horrific word to the most magnificent being in the world, James only hated Snape because of who he was: a coward. How could he possibly forgive the devil for shattering such a delicate and pure soul? He almost protested, but the pleading look in the green eyes of his true love made the walls of hatred surrounding him crumble at his feet.

"How is it fair that one person could be so beautiful and so kind? Now I understand why there is so much darkness in this world; you are the only light we could ever need." Kissing her once more, James Potter made the decision to forgive his worst enemy for his sins. If Lily could move on from such betrayal so could he.

"Thank you, James. I love-" Before she could finish, a deafening alarm broke out in the small home in Godric's Hollow. Dumbledore had put up wards around their house once the spell was put into place in order to warn them if danger was trying to seep through the cracks and destroy what little hope they had left.

"It's him." James rose to his feet, trying to keep steady for the sake of his family, but he felt no stronger than a small child. A lump in his throat swelled, and he could see the end for him had come. "Take the children, Lily, and run." James lifted Evalane in his arms and passed her to his shaking wife, who was trying to readjust their son on her hip.

"But James-"

"I'll be fine, Lils. I love you. Now go, NOW! HURRY!" A waterfall of tears was descending from the green eyes that James's adored so much for so long, and Lily stole one last glance at her husband and sprinted up the stairs to Harry's nursery.

"Mummy what's going on," Evalane asked her mother. "Where's Daddy?" Lily did not hear her daughter while she locked the nursery door behind them. She rushed over to her son's small yellow wardrobe and opened the doors.

"Evalane, darling, Mummy needs you to stay in here for a while." Lily gently, and with such an urgency that her hands were visibly trembling. "No matter what happens, do not come out until I say. Do you understand?"

"Yes Mummy," Evalane responded quickly, thinking that perhaps they were playing a game, and her daddy was playing hide and seek with them. In actuality of course, Lily knew it was Harry that Voldemort was after, so if she had to get her daughter out of the line of fire in order to devote her full attention to protecting her little boy. She tried with all her might to push out the guilt of never telling James the secret of Evalane, but maybe someday, the truth would reveal itself.

"Mummy loves you Evalane Lily Potter," choking back tears, Lily closed the wardrobe shut.

The darkness consumed Evalane's vision, and to her own fortune, it prevented her from seeing the horrors on the other side of the wardrobe. Sounds, however, came through the wood loud and clear, and though the three-year-old could not comprehend what these sounds meant at the moment, they would haunt her for years to come. She could hear her little brother's door crash and a man's voice, not her father's, utter two horrible words that Evalane had never heard before. Whatever those words meant, her mother's screams were quickly silenced, and for a brief moment, a green light illuminated the room and made its way through the cracks in the wardrobe. Then little Harry began to cry, and the two words were spoken once more and followed by the green light. This time, however, Harry's crying continued, and Evalane began to worry. Why had her mother not comforted Harry yet? Where did the green light come from? Why hadn't Mummy tell her to get out of the wardrobe yet?

Hours passed, and Evalane sat in the wardrobe and waited to see her mother's face when the doors reopened. Different noises from the other side tempted her into leaving, but she did not want to upset her mother by disobeying. When she heard Harry's crying resumed from a brief hour of silenced, she pulled her knees to her chest and silently practiced the alphabet that her father had taught her the day before. She put her hands over her ears when Harry's cries were accompanied by those of a man but sounded like a wounded animal. Even when she heard Uncle Sirius comfort her brother to sleep, she remained unmoving and silent. Only Mummy could tell her to leave.

Evalane dozed off for what felt like a few moments when a yellow light shone through her eyelids. She eagerly jolted her head up, expecting to see her mother's face smiling with pride in her daughter's impeccable obedience. Instead, she saw a man in his early thirties staring at her and completely gob smacked to see a toddler hiding in the wardrobe.

Todd Knaggs had spent the majority of his life on the streets of London, trying to get enough cash to get by, but in the last five months, he had resorted to thievery in order to support his alcoholism. He had just finished off his fifth pint of beer when he found what was left of the Potter's home. He grinned viciously and ransacked the home of its remaining treasures, spending much of his time helping himself to James Potter's clothes and hair products to fashion himself to look like a billionaire and his scraggly beard into what he believed to be a lovely goatee. When he searched the nursery, he was searching for anything he could pawn off for money. Babies were so spoiled by their families that there must be some old family heirloom worth a couple pounds in here. Instead, he saw a tiny girl, no more than three-years-old, curled up in a ball in the wardrobe.

An idea crossed the thief's mind, and oh was it a brilliant idea. No one just leaves a child behind; surely someone would be looking for her, and when they do, Todd would be waiting patiently for an obscene amount of ransom money. He took the child, much to her displeasure, and took her to her to his "house" on the outskirts of London. Years began to slip away, and still no news had come about the girl's kidnapping. While he was furious about his failed investment, he elected to use the girl to obey his every command out of pure laziness.

Evalane never forgot that day, and no matter how many beatings she had to endure, she knew where she truly belonged. It was not until twelve years later that she was able to escape the clutches of this monster for but a while.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1

"'Scuse me missy, but where do you have your tomatoes?" A tiny elderly woman spoke with an underlying annoyance to the fifteen-year-old cashier.

"Aisle five, right by the canned food, Ma'am," The girl pushed her long black hair behind her ear and directed the woman—who failed to even thank her for her assistance –to the aisle five meters from where they stood.

Evalane despised this job, but "money is money, and money means booze" as Todd ever so eloquently put it. Only three more years of living under his rule until she could legally escape his claws, and she needed to have a financially stable ground to hold her weight. While most of her paycheck went to feed Todd and occasionally herself, she was able to secretly store away some of it for down the road.

"Hello Eva," Evalane turned to find a rather disheveled boy standing before her. His dark brown curls were going every which way, and he panted like an animal running from its predator. The shininess of his forehead suggested he had been running for so long that he broke a sweat, but Evalane tried her best not to point it out to her childhood friend.

"Hey Sherlock," her smile made him draw his shoulders back and lift his head to make eye contact with her, and his breath slowly regained its usual steadiness. "How's it going?"

"Like you don't know," Sherlock scoffed at her question, but he was unable to mask the fear in his sky blue eyes.

"Well judging by the fact that you came into a grocery store panting with a thin layer of sweat on your face, your hair looks like you had three people blow dry it at once, and you have looked over your shoulder at least three times since you've been in here, I would say those twats are bothering you again, and you were trying to make a run for it."

"Yes well, bet you can't tell me where I was!" Sherlock challenged his best friend's intellect, knowing full well that she could pass his test with ease.

"Oh please, your shoes are covered in mud and grass—not to mention the bottom part of your left plant leg –and you reek of river water. It's obvious that you were at that stupid creek again, the Henderson brothers saw you, and you got up so fast that you had a little trouble gaining your balance." Evalane ran the cash register for a small couple while making her assumptions, and though she was completely mentally indulged in Sherlock's past whereabouts, her physical capability of ringing of a one hundred and fifty pounds worth of groceries did not waver. The couple, naturally, were completely oblivious to the conversation, and they held their focus to the screen that was running up their list.

"Amazing," Sherlock began bagging some of the groceries and laughed at the accuracy of his friend's assertions.

"Simple deductions, my friend. Your total today is one hundred fifty three pounds." Evalane collected the money and turned to bag the produce, only to find Sherlock had finished. "Mate, you don't even work here." The couple continued on with their own private conversation, as though the two friends were nothing more than background music to their movie.

"I might as well, honestly," he handed the last bag to the husband, who barely made eye contact before quickly leaving the store with his wife. "I mean, I'm here almost as much as you are, and I have the entire store saved in my mind palace. I would probably be better at it than you anyway."

"Oh shut it," she playfully hit his shoulder, and Sherlock laughed at his friend's cheekiness. It truly was hard for him to believe that he had a friend at all, let alone someone as amazing as Evalane. After he lost Redbeard, he had become closed off and tried to distance himself from any and all forms of affection to avoid getting hurt again. He was only eight years old then. He met Evalane, however, and the two of them had been inseparable for almost seven years now. It was Evalane who helped him create his mind palace to begin with, just because he was fascinated with her photographic memory.

"Have you given the letter anymore thought?" Sherlock walked with Evalane on their way home after Evalane's shift had come to an end, and night had begun approaching as the sun dipped into the horizon.

"Somewhat," Evalane responded quietly.

"And?"

"I honestly can't get it out of my head, Sherlock. I mean, it's rather strange that Todd would keep anything flammable and not smoke it, let alone something that is directly addressed to me. At least, an Evalane Potter rather than Knaggs. The name Potter was so far back in my mind palace I almost passed out trying to find it! Plus, judging by the yellowing of the envelope and the overwhelming amount of dust on the drawer handle, he's kept it hidden for at least three to four years. It's just all too strange."

The Holmes' home had come into sight, and a small black car was sitting in the driveway. It was shiny and clean, and it looked out of place next the run down and cluttered cottage it was parked in front of.

"Oh what's Mycroft doing here?" Sherlock groaned miserably.

"Would you like me to come inside with you?" Evalane offered her friend. She knew how much Mycroft irritated the brilliant teenager, and she also knew how much SHE irritated Mycroft. Going inside would be a win-win: Mrs. Holmes made the best pies, and it was the perfect opportunity to humiliate the older Holmes brother.

"I won't bore you with my family's presence," Sherlock stepped inside the gate and began heading into the home. "Besides, I'm sure Todd is getting antsy that you're not there to pour an entire bottle of whiskey down his throat."

"Very true," Evalane laughed, trying to hide from her observant friend just how terrified she really was. "I'll let you know if I do more with the letter."

"Please do."

It was doomed to be another long night at the Knaggs household, if one could even call it a house. With most of Evalane's paycheck contributing to Todd's alcoholism, the rotting furniture and the faint stench of old bodily odors clogged the slowly crumbling house. Most evenings were spent in either a foggy daze or fists of uncontrollable anger, and most of the time, Evalane could barely dodge the blows. Tonight, of course, was no different.

"Hey. Hey. Hey bitch!" A half empty bottle of whiskey was swinging through the air as the sloppy drunk stumbled through the halls trying to find his ransom money gone wrong.

"What is it Todd?" Evalane stepped in front of her captor. She learned rather quickly to never approach a drunk man from behind because all it's get you is smacked in the face by either a hand or a bottle.

"Ineedmoney," His words slurred together, and his eyes rolled lazily without any destination. He stuck out his grimy hand, expecting his "paycheck" to fall into his palm without questioning.

"I don't get paid until tomorrow. I'll give it to you tomorrow, I…" Her cheek burned from his touch, and she had tears brimming in her eyes.

"Bloody useless," The drunkard stumbled over to the sofa, and he lost consciousness as soon as his head hit the pillow. Without hesitation, Evalane made her way down the concrete stairs and into the cold and dark basement. Todd was "kind" enough to give her a small space in the cellar to call her own, but it eventually became her dungeon. Her only comfort was a small straw bed in driest corner of the room and where the stench of rotting wood was the least pungent. Evalane pulled the envelope from underneath the bed and ran her fingers over the letters inscribed on the yellowed paper.

Miss E. Potter

Cellar

The Small House by the River

Outskirts of London

"Curious," Evalane whispered as she reviewed the overly accurate description of where to find her. Again with the name Potter. She had not heard that name in almost twelve years, but she remembered it as though it were yesterday. She turned over the envelope and studied the crest plastering the fold shut. With a shaking hand, Evalane tore open the envelope, pulled out the letter, and began to read the words that would forever change her life.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? Headmaster Albus Dumbledore; Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards…what the bloody hell is this?" Evalane contemplated on tossing the letter that felt more like a prank than anything legitimate, but it was what remained in the note that made her question her deduction.

"Dear Miss Potter, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Enclosed is a list of all necessary books and equipment for first years. Term begins on September 1, 1989. We await your owl by no later than July 31, 1989. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall- Deputy Headmistress."

"This letter is almost five years old?" Evalane stared blankly at the mysterious words, and reread them three, four, five more times before she accepted that it was not forged.

"So what are you going to do then?" Sherlock asked her over the telephone later that night, when the sky was dark and her secret captor was blacked out somewhere in the house.

"I'm not sure," Evalane spoke softly into the phone. She had decided to withhold the fact that Hogwarts was a school of magic to avoid putting her friend in the line of fire for when Todd realized what she had done; she only mentioned that it was a boarding school for "gifted" students. "There's a ticket in here as well, along with the supply list."

"When was the train supposed to leave?"

"Nine o'clock in the morning on September 1 from King's Cross Station. This was also five years ago, Sherlock; I highly doubt the train would be leaving the exact same time on the exact day if I even wanted to get on it!"

"There's no harm in trying," Her friend suggested. "Look, tomorrow is the first of September, so I can go with you to King's Cross if you would like. I think any boarding school is better than staying with that drunk arse for another year."

"Thanks Sherlock," Evalane smiled at her friend's protective nature, though the "high-functioning sociopath" would never admit it of course. "But what about you? Will you be able to survive the school year without me?"

"It won't be easy, but I'll manage. Those other kids are probably too thick to comprehend anything we talk about anyway, so I'll just wait patiently for your return. You will be able to tell me all about your little school, and how much smarter we are than the lot of them."

Sherlock grinned at the sound of Evalane's muffled laughter through the phone. It broke his heart to imagine what his life will be like without her right by his side, but deep down, he knew the probability of her prospering at their pathetic high school was slim to none. Her intelligence was no match for his own or even Mycroft's, and he knew how much it would eat Mycroft alive to know that his little brother's "overly exultant perspicacious companion" had been accepted to a prestigious boarding school he had never even heard of.

The next morning, Evalane had managed to pack what few things she owned into the same gray backpack that she had used since the eighth grade. Holding the ticket in her pocket, she made an attempt to leave the dreadful home before being noticed by her captor.

"Where the fuck do you think you're goin'?" A slurred and harsh voice surrounded her as her fingertips barely grazed the doorknob. The hangover monster had awoken before she had the time to escape its clutches.

"To….school…" Her chest tightened as she looked into the swollen and bloodshot eyes. His breath reeked of liquor, and he smelled like three days had gone by without bathing. Her cheek burned when he raised his hand to her face.

"How many times do I have to tell you to not give me back talk, you selfish bitch?" Another slap to the face came, harder than the last, but she refused to allow the tears to fall. He did not deserve the satisfaction of seeing her cry at his hand. "I thought school did not start for another week."

"No, sir," Evalane said with a steadying voice. "It starts today."

"Whatever," the old drunk scoffed and took a swig from the flask in his back pocket. "Come home immediately after."

Evalane nodded her head, trying to hold back the excitement of knowing that would not be for another nine months. The taxi cab ride to the train station could not have been quicker, and she gave the driver the rest of the cash she was able to take from Todd's "secret" stash. King's Cross Station was much larger than Evalane had expected, much more crowded as well. People from every angle pushed and shoved the fifteen year old back and forth against the sea of people, shouting in every tone and language. The stench of body odor and smoke from the trains and cigarettes clogged her nostrils and burned her eyes.

"So which platform are you supposed to get on?" Sherlock asked, staring at the massive map of the station. Evalane felt the ticket in her pocket, the number 9 and ¾ illuminating her mind's eye. Sherlock would never take the number seriously, and at the same time, Evalane was beginning to worry for herself and the possible outcomes that could come from this decision.

"My ticket says Platform 9." Sherlock nodded and escorted his friend to the platform.

"The signs say the train isn't supposed to leave until 9:30, so we are a little early. Would you like me to wait with you?"

"No, it is okay," Evalane smiled, avoiding direct eye contact as subtly as possible. Sherlock's observational skills were improving at an alarming rate, so she wanted to be careful when hiding anything from him. "I'm sure Mycroft is growing impatient by now, so I won't hold you up too much longer."

The young teen averted his eyes from his only friend's face to the swelling crowd around them. "Of course. Well, I suppose I will see you next summer?"

"It will not be that long," Evalane pulled him close in a warm embrace, choking back tears she never expected to come. "I will do my best to come home for Christmas."

Sherlock said nothing but return the hug. He would never tell her how scared he was that she was not going to be with him; all he wanted to do was support her. Her adopted father had given her so much grief lately that she deserved to find her happiness, even if he was being left behind.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

Once Sherlock was out of sight, Evalane began to search for a way to the mysterious Platform 9 and ¾. There were only ten minutes until her train left, so time was not on her side though she would manage. However, before any type of deductions could be made, a voice broke through the air and managed to catch Evalane's attention.

"C'mon George! We only have ten minutes until the train leaves!" A flash of orange flew past Evalane, and another immediately following.

"Right behind you, Fred!" The other voice laughed, struggling to keep pace with the first. "Mum is going to kill us!"

The voices belonged to two teenage boys, twins from what Evalane could tell. Both had the same blinding red hair and warm brown eyes, almost 2 meters tall, and had goofy grins glued onto their faces. Evalane believed them to be about fourteen or fifteen years old, and by their conversation, she could deduce that these boys would be able to get them to the platform safely.

"Excuse me," Evalane gingerly tapped one boy's shoulder. "I was wondering if you two were going to Platform 9 and ¾? I am having a bit of trouble getting to a seemingly nonexistent train."

The boy gave her an odd look but smiled warmly. "Sure thing, M'Lady." He bowed sarcastically, and his brother snickered and mimicked the silly action. "Your carriage awaits!" The twins spoke at the same time and gestured to the brick wall separating Platforms 9 and 10.

"I do not appreciate the mockery, firstly," Evalane placed her hands on her hips in annoyance. "Secondly, if you can't help me, then I will find the Platform myself." She began to turn away from the twins, but they both reached out to her.

"No, we're sorry!" The first twin laughed.

"We just"

"Aren't used to"

"Someone being so"

"Polite!" Evalane's brain struggled following the back and forth speech of the twins, but she recalled this was a commonality against twins because of the similarities between their brain chemicals and structure.

"All is forgiven," Evalane allowed a small smile to escape her lips.

"Name's Fred Weasley, and this is my brother George." Fred spoke with the same charm as George, but his voice was slightly deeper while George's had a more singsong tone. There was an almost unnoticeable freckle beneath George's right eye, and Fred's smile always opened just little bit wider than his brother's. Placing these differences into her mind palace, Evalane knew she would never be able to confuse the two brothers.

"Evalane Knaggs," She extended her hand, remembering the "basic manners" Mycroft tried to drill into her and Sherlock's minds. "Though I suppose there's no need to go by that name anymore."

"Nice to meet you, Evalane," Fred accepted her hand to give it a firm shake, George immediately following suit.

"What name would you go by then?" George asked.

"Potter. Evalane Lily Potter."

Silence. A silence that could freeze time and stop the blood in one's veins. The twins' eyes darted from Evalane to each other at an unbelievable speed, and George put his hand up to his mouth in complete disbelief.

"You're joking," Fred stared at the girl in front of him, a girl who should not even have existed.

"I can assure you, I'm not," Evalane's eyebrow arched in confusion. "That is the name my parents gave me, I have just been unable to…use it…for some time now."

"Bloody hell." George breathed, looking around the station like someone would jump out to reveal it all to be a ruse.

"Shit, we have to go!" Fred nearly jumped when he glanced at the clock on the wall of one of the brick pillars. The large hand was about three minutes away from reaching the top of the hour.

"We only have"

"Three minutes"

"Until the train"

"Leaves!"

"How far is Platform 9 and ¾? I haven't seen any platform like that anywhere." Evalane drummed her fingers on the straps of her backpack anxiously. There was no way for them to make it to the train with only three minutes until it leaves, and then she would have to go back to her life of abuse with Todd.

"You're looking at it!" The twins gestured toward the brick wall like it was a brand new car on the set of a game show. "Just watch us!"

Before she could protest, Evalane watched both boys look around at the sea of random civilians bustling through King's Cross Station and then briskly walk towards the brick wall without any sign of stopping. She let out a gasp as the twins strode through the wall with ease, as though it was nothing more than air. Her eyes darted around her, searching for another who had witnessed the sorcery, but the London crowd focused only on their own lives and schedules and were far too busy to have noticed the boys' disappearance. The clock hanging on the opposing wall revealed that Evalane had exactly sixty seconds before her train left forever, so she filled her lungs to their capacity and took a rapid three steps towards the wall.

Much like the experience of the twins, Evalane found that she was able to walk through the bricks with ease, but what she found on the other side of the wall truly took her by surprise. Hundreds if not thousands of families with their children were gathered around a monstrous black and red train. The hustle and bustle of the crowd swamped Evalane's mind with anxiety and panic, and the sound of excitement from children and worry from their parents clogged her ears. Evalane quickly regained sight of the twins, who waved for her from the steps of the train. A sigh of relief escaped her lungs upon seeing the familiar faces, so she readjusted her luggage in her hands and made quick strides toward the massive train.

"There you are Evalane!" Fred smiled. "We were beginning to worry that"

"You were going to miss the train!" George quickly chimed in as the trio entered the train. The twins guided her through the halls of the train with ease, dodging young children, candy cart ladies, and rambunctious teenagers every step of the way.

"This one's empty!" Fred opened the door for his companions, and the three new friends were able to settle themselves in the small compartment. The Weasley's had enough luggage to fit inside the higher storage space and under the seats, while Evalane was able to keep her small bag on her lap throughout the trip to Hogwarts. Once the baggage had been secured, Fred took a seat next to their new friend and began to drill her with a seemingly endless amount of questions.

"So where have you been all this time?"

"Yeah, why are you starting Hogwarts now? And not when you were eleven?"

"They say fifth year is the most difficult"

"But would you technically be a first year?"

"Are you still going to have to take the O.W.L.s this year?"

"Have you met Harry yet?"

"Slow down boys," Evalane grinned at the banter between the twins. It was like watching a ball bounce between two walls, constantly moving back and forth. "Well I have been staying with my…adopted father for the last twelve years. My letter had been unknown to me until recently when I stumbled across it in the basement of my father's home, which is why I am starting at fifteen rather than eleven years old. I suppose I would technically be a first year, but I'm hoping that they will allow me to test out of the last four terms. I'm a rather good student, so I do not foresee myself having any difficulty catching up to the level of my peers. I'm not sure what these O.W.L.s are, but if all goes well, I suppose I will be able to take them when the two of you do. Wait, you know Harry? As in, my little brother Harry? He's alive? Where is he?"

"Whoa there!" George threw his arms in the defeat. "Look who needs to slow down now!"

His brother grinned but allowed seriousness to take the stage on his face for the sake of his new friend's sanity. "Evalane, what's the last thing you remember about your brother?"

Evalane scoured her mind palace for a moment, the moment. The moment where her life changed for the worse. The screams of her mother and father, Harry's cries, the green light blinding her, the darkness of the wardrobe consuming her for hours. Growing up, she would try to tap into this corner of her mind to maybe figure out what had really happened that night or where her brother may be, but the memory would paralyze her with fear and anxiety. There was an occasion where she went too close to the green light, and she could not move for almost two hours. After a few years, she gave up trying to focus on the past and began to find answers in the real world. She and Sherlock would search libraries and newsstands for any signs of a Harry Potter or any mention of the Potter family, but they never seemed to have any luck. Eventually, Sherlock lost interest in the seemingly wild goose chase, but he would always be by Evalane's side as she analyzed every article from three cities over.

She explained that dreadful night as best she could to Fred and George, keeping the details as vague as possible. Not because she could not remember the memory as though she were living it as she spoke, but because she knew speaking about the incident could potentially prevent her from moving from her seat ever again. The twins listened to her story with such intense concentration that one would think time stood still in their small compartment.

"Bloody shit" Fred breathed when Evalane caught them up to the present. "That was really"

"Intense! Blimey, you really have some catching up to do!" George leaned back in the seat and looked up to the ceiling as though some answer would be there to greet him.

"Well, we should probably get you to Harry! He's going to lose his mind when he sees you!"

"Are you sure, Fred?" George gently nudged his brother.

"What on earth do you mean?" Evalane shot back. "I have been in the dark about my brother for going on twelve years now. If you think I'm going to just sit here when he's somewhere on this train, you are quite wrong."

"I'm just saying that's a lot to dump on the kid right now," George calmly replied. "Especially with everything that he's been through the last couple of days…"

Fred gave his brother a friendly slap on the shoulder and let out a laugh. "I don't there's anything that could surprise that kid at this point!" George reluctantly nodded in agreement, even let out a pitiful smile. The twins stood up, and Evalane eagerly followed suit.

"Well c'mon! I'm sure the buggers are around here somewhere!" The trio then strolled through the car of the train, with the twins glancing in the compartments as they went along. Suddenly, the brothers came to a quick stop; George motioned Evalane to stay back, and Fred opened the compartment door.

"The bloody hell you want?" A voice came from the compartment. It faintly resembled the deepness of Fred's, even if it was a bit more rough, like it was more than familiar with the art of profanity.

"Well hello to you too!" Fred laughed. "We just…"

"Had a surprise for Harry!" George chimed in over his brother's shoulder.

"What is it?" That voice...That was the voice of James Potter himself. Of course, Evalane knew that was not possible, but the resemblance sent a shiver down her spine. The twins looked over to her and motioned for her to go inside.

The tears started to fall from her eyes before she even saw him. He looked so much like their father. His hair was as dark as night and more ruffled than a field of wild grass. His skin was pale but clear, and he wore round glasses that, judging by the overall untidiness of his school robes, had been broken and repaired multiple times. She noticed how prominent his cheekbones appeared, like he had struggled with getting enough to eat. In fact, his whole frame was particularly small for a thirteen year old boy. Maybe his home life was not too great, much like her situation, which worried her. Then, she saw his eyes. The brilliant green that shone in not only her own eyes, but the one and only Lily Potter. Evalane felt the wind being knocked out of her chest when her eyes traveled further up her brother's face and abruptly stopped on the lightning bolt scar.

"Hello," The boy nervously spoke, like Evalane was an animal that would attack him if he moved too quickly. "I'm Harry. Harry Potter." He stood and offered her his hand. She stared at it, looked him in the eye, and slowly pulled him into a tight embrace.

Harry was unsure how to react to this random girl hugging him without so much as an introduction, but there was something about her that drawed him to her. He looked over to the twins, and they both nodded in encouragement and approval. He gently returned the girl's embrace, but after a moment slowly pulled away. He immediately noticed- through the bloodshot tears -the girl's green eyes, so eerily like his own.

"Who are you?" The question slipped from his mouth, but the girl simply laughed at Harry's lack of restrain.

"I'm...I'm your sister. I'm your sister, Harry." Evalane barely choked out the sentence before Harry took a step back. "It's me, Harry. It's Evalane!"

"My what?" Harry's confusion shone on his face like the headlights of a car in the dead of night. Evalane felt like he had slapped her in the face.

"Sister. I'm your sister, Harry."

"I have a sister? No one ever mentioned a sister."

"You're Evalane Lily, aren't you?" The other boy in the compartment chimed in. He had the same flaming red hair as Fred and George. His face was long and covered in freckles, and his body was growing too quickly for his coordinative skills to keep up. "How are you even alive?"

"Ronald! Honestly, do you think at all before you open your mouth?" There was a girl with bushy brown hair and slightly bucked teeth sitting next to the red-headed boy, whom Evalane assumed to either be the boy's girlfriend or at least secret admirer judging by how the two sat closer to each other than friends yet far enough to not be romantically involved. The boy's torso had been turned towards the girl ever so slightly before they had entered the compartment, and while the girl's words had been harsh, there was an underlying tone of kindness that made their mutual attraction to one another so painfully obvious.

"Blimey Hermione, do you even know who that is?"

"Of course I know who Evalane Lily Potter is Ron! Unlike some people, I actually utilize my weekends gaining more knowledge rather than sitting around playing with that dreadful rat of yours." The girl's nose scrunched up in disgust at the small rodent sitting in the boy's lap.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Evalane chuckled at the two young teenagers bickering.

"Could someone please tell me what the bloody hell is going on?" Harry's cheeks felt as though someone had pressed Aunt Petunia's clothing iron on them as anger swelled up inside him. "No one has ever mentioned I may or may not have a sister, so I want to know who you really are!"

It felt worse than being slapped in the face. There was no sign of trust in her baby brother's eyes, but she knew she could convince him if she could just talk to him. "Why don't we sit in our own compartment? I can explain everything if we just…"

"Anything you say to me, you can say in front of my friends."

"And apparently whoever this guy is…" Ron nodded towards the man sleeping in the corner of the compartment, hidden under his stained and rather worn jacket that was most likely around fifteen years old.

"That's Professor R. J. Lupin." Hermione spoke up matter of factly.

"How is it that you seem to know everything? How could you possibly know that?" Ron shot back with a miniscule stroke of admiration in his voice.

"It may be because it's on his suitcase," Evalane offered, pointing to the equally worn, leather briefcase in the storage space above their seats. "No major deductions, just simple observations." Hermione warmly smiled at Evalane and then glared at Ron, who slumped sheepishly in his seat.

"You guys have some catching up to do," George laughed, and began to move out of sight. "Evalane, we will see you…"

"In the Great Hall!" With that, Evalane's two new friends went off, leaving her with a brother who had forgotten about her entire existence, his two friends that looked ready to slit her throat if she said anything that threatened Harry, and Professor Lupin, who's name tickled Evalane's brain; however, she would scour her mind palace later. Now was the time to sit and remind Harry of a simpler and happier time.

 **Author's Note: Another** **chapter done! Thank you so much for giving this a read! Feel free to leave a review, I would love the feedback! xx**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

Evalane paid close attention to Harry's body language as she told him her story. She studied his expressions as she told him about their family life before their parents' death, her life with Todd- though she once again modified how intensely her life and struggles have been to spare her brother of the burden -her friendship with Sherlock, the complexity of her memory and mind palace, and finally finding her letter to Hogwarts. Harry seemed hesitant to believe her story, at least at first. As she divulged deeper into her history, his face softened and the muscles in his body relaxed. He transformed from a predator on the verge of attack to a lost child looking for comfort.

"Wow." Hermione breathed out once Evalane had brought them back to the present. "Every article I have ever read suggested that you had died, if they even mention you at all, so to actually sit here and hear what you have been through is just heartbreaking."

"I can assure you I'm not dead," Evalane grinned, but it quickly disappeared. "I am a little concerned as to why there is very little to say about me...You would think there would at least be a search for me…"

"There was talk of one," Ron offered to Evalane's surprise. Ron had been especially quiet during her explanation, but Evalane could tell that he was protective of Harry and worried that she was a snake of some sort, trying to persuade his best friend into a lethal trap. "My father said that many people in the Order wanted to start a global search party for you, but Dumbledore ordered against it because he didn't see any way that you could have survived…"

"I survived." Harry finally spoke up, quietly but speaking nonetheless. "Dumbledore should have at least tried, especially because I survived. I don't understand why no one ever told me about you..."

"So you believe me?" Evalane reached across the compartment and gripped Harry's hand. She tried to conceal the trembling in her hand from Harry and his friends. Her world was about to change forever in this moment. If Harry chose to turn her away, she would be doomed to spend the rest of her life with Todd, and she was certain he would not be so forgiving if she went back now. On the other hand, if Harry accepted her, then she would finally have some light in her life. She would finally have hope.

"Yeah," Harry stood, Evalane quickly followed suit. "I believe you."

The two siblings pulled one another into a warm embrace, but this time both Harry and Evalane were crying. No words were exchanged between them, but no words in the history of humanity could describe how joyful they both were to feel what it is was like to have sight of a tangible and healthy family in their future. One had been burdened by painful memories and the knowledge of something better Hermione was also allowing herself to shed tears over the beautiful reunion, and even Ron was moved. The moment was abruptly put to an end when the train came to a sudden halt, causing Harry and Evalane to fall back into their seats.

"Why are we stopping?" Hermione looked out the window of the train. "We can't be there yet…"

"Many they're having engine troubles?" Harry offered, but it was hard to ignore the darkness brewing outside. The sky had turned completely black, though it was only three in the afternoon and had been completely sunny a few moments ago. Frost crept up on the glass windows, and a cold breeze swept through the compartment. Screams could be heard from around the train.

Without warning, an unidentifiable being drifted past the compartment door. The door gently opened on its own, and a cloaked figure stood in the threshold. Evalane could see no face under the figure's dark hood, and she was fairly sure the mysterious creature was hovering above the ground. Her mind began to spin, and she struggled to focus on the figure. She felt as though a weight was pushing down on her shoulders, and only feelings of sadness and despair surrounded her. Her head started to pound, and a woman's scream filled her ears. Her mother's scream.

A bright light filled the room, and the figure slinked away as quickly as it had come. The scream silenced, but her head was throbbing in pain. Evalane turned to see the man had awoken from his sleep, and he had armed himself with what Evalane assumed was his wand. When the light dimmed, she immediately realized why the name Lupin seemed so vibrantly familiar.

"U-Uncle Moony?" The man froze, confusion spread across his face like oil diffusing in water.

"Evalane?" The man's voice was quiet, like it had been broken a million times over. His eyes screamed of demons from the past, and Evalane could tell the man had more emotional scars than those across his pale face. "Evalane is that you?"

Evalane simply nodded her head, trying to soak in the image of the man who once been such a significant part of her childhood. Remus J. Lupin had always appeared rather disheveled, and time had not him in that sense. His eyes were glazed over with over exhaustion, and he had dark circles resting permanently beneath his eyes. He was wearing an old and worn blazer that had clearly been washed multiple times, so it was rather obvious that he cared about his appearance but was unable to afford to buy the fancier attire. Perhaps it had been a long time since her parents' friend had been employed at all; they always did speak of Moony in rather hushed tones, and when he would visit her and Harry, he would act as though they would break at his touch.

"Harry!" Hermione gasped, snapping Evalane out of her trance. She looked towards her brother. Whatever the creature was, its presence had a much more intense influence on her little brother, as he had passed out in his chair. Before she could react, Lupin was by his side trying to gently shake Harry awake. Harry's eyes fluttered open, and Lupin reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a bar of dark chocolate.

"What happened to me?" Harry murmured as he shifted himself back into consciousness. Lupin broke the candy bar into multiple chunks and began passing it to the young teens in the compartment.

"That, Harry, was a dementor," Lupin handed Harry a piece of the chocolate. When Harry hesistated, Lupin simply said, "It's alright. It's just chocolate."

"Are you okay, Harry?" Evalane sat herself next to Harry and placed her arm around him. "You passed out before that thing…"

"A dementor." Ron chimed in through a rather large bite of chocolate. "My father told me about them. They're these sort of monster things that guard Azkaban."

"Azkaban?" Evalane raised her eyebrow inquisitively.

"It's like a wizard prison," Lupin explained, standing up from his seat next to the Potter siblings. "The dementors are meant to keep anyone or anything from getting in or out. Dumbledore must have ordered dementors to watch the school under the, well, under the current circumstances." The ghost of a smile spread on his face but did not quite make it to his eyes.

"I'm okay, I suppose…" Harry finally spoke up, but he must have subconsciously leaned into Evalane's embrace. His sister tightened her grip, resting her head on his.

"Well, I am going to have a word with the train's conductor. Perhaps he or she has some idea as to why a dementor made it aboard the train." He stepped out the door, but before he disappeared, he ordered the four teens to eat the rest of the chocolate. "You'll feel better." He avoided eye contact with Evalane, much to her dismay. It then occurred to her that he possibly wasn't expecting to see her or even Harry in his compartment. She wondered if she was at fault for his reaction because, as Ron eloquently pointed out, no one had known she had survived that night.

The rest of the train ride was mostly silent between the four of them, except Harry quietly asked Evalane if she too had passed out from the close encounter with the dementor.

"I didn't faint," Evalane whispered. "However, I did get a mind splitting migraine. I felt like any joy I had was being sucked out of me."

"Did you hearing someone scream?" Harry's voice grew small, like he was once again the young child Evalane once knew him to be. Evalane's heart ached at the thought of him spending so many years alone. While she at least knew she had people somewhere in the world that had and would love her, she had an inkling that Harry had not grown up with such a luxury.

"I did…" Harry seemed relieved, maybe he felt better knowing he wasn't going mad, but Evalane only adopted his worry into her own mind. She recognized the high-pitched scream from that dark and terrible night like it was yesterday. Hermione and Ron seemed unaffected by the scream, leading Evalane to believe that only herself and her brother had the misfortune of hearing it.

"Evalane," Hermione cautiously spoke up. "Were you able to purchase anything for the school year?" One aspect of moving to boarding school that had failed to cross her mind. Buying new supplies was never much of a priority for her because most of her paycheck was not hers to keep, so she would simply borrow Sherlock's textbooks to memorize the first night.

"I'm afraid not; Hogwarts this term was a spontaneous decision. Besides, I would not even know where to go, since I'm sure I would not be able to find these textbooks at any random bookstore."

"Unfortunately no," Hermione smiled. "Well, you're welcome to borrow my spare set of robes until we get you your own. I'm sure they'll allow you to go to Diagon Alley this weekend to buy your textbooks and such. For now, you're welcome to skim through my potions textbook for this year, just so you can get a general idea before you meet Professor Snape."

She handed Evalane the textbook she had been reading through for most of the train ride, but Evalane could barely focus on any of the words on the page- she could always review them in her mind palace later -except for one: Snape. The name set off about a million alarms in her memories, so she allowed herself to fall into her palace to recall the name's significance. She found herself back in her childhood home, her parents wandering about the living room while she and Harry play with a puzzle on the floor nearby.

"Have you thought about what I said earlier?" Her mother asked, clearly anxious to hear the answer.

"About?" James tugged Harry's shirt back in place as he had gotten it stuck around his head.

"You know what James," Lily's face fell slightly due to her husband's dismissiveness to her question, like she knew a bomb was about to explode in their small home.

"Oh, you mean what you said about Snivellus Snape." James spoke with such a bitterness at the very mention of the harsh nickname that it could have turned a sugar biscuit rotten and sour.

"Yes, about Severus," Lily carefully corrected him, attempting to have a civilized conversation with the man. "What were you thinking about Severus?"

"You know how I feel about him Lily, and I thought you felt the same after he called you that horrible word," James's voice was heavy yet soft, as though he were holding back tears or white hot rage.

"Things are different now, James. If this horrible war ever ends, he's going to need friends to keep his head above water. I'm really worried about him. I know I should still be angry with him for what he said—and I suppose a part of me always will be –but if we've learned anything through this whole mess isn't it that life is too precious and short to hold grudges? He needs good people in his life, and I know we can help him. James, he needs us."

"How is it fair that one person could be so beautiful and so kind? Now I understand why there is so much darkness in this world; you are the only light we could ever need." He pulled her into an embrace and kissed his wife passionately on the lips.

"Thank you, James. I love-" Before she could finish, a deafening alarm broke out in the small home in Godric's Hollow. Evalane was all too familiar with what was about to happen next, so she left the scene as quickly as she had come and returned to the present.

"I bloody hate Potions," Ron groaned in his seat, seemingly not noticing Evalane's momentary lack of mental presence. "I swear if Snape gives us any trouble this term, I may lose my shit on the man."

"Do you think he's still angry about the Whomping Willow?" Harry chuckled at his past memories with his friend.

Ron's eyes practically rolled into the back of his head. "Probably. Never really took him as much of a tree hugger, but hey, who knows what that man's into."

"What happened with this 'Whomping Willow'?" Evalane chose to keep the information about this Snape man until she could speak to Harry more privately. She had no doubt that his two friends could be trusted; however, she felt like he would have many questions about what she remembered of their past life. She wanted him to feel comfortable enough to ask the questions, and she had a feeling that he did not ask as many questions as he should.

"It's this massive tree on the grounds that will beat you to a pulp if you get too close." Harry began to laugh, a sweet laugh that most likely did not get the recognition it deserved. "Ron and I flew a car into it second year! Nearly got expelled for it."

"Flew a car?" Evalane's eyebrow arched and her head tilted involuntarily in confusion.

"My dad managed to make our family car fly! Harry and I didn't make it onto the platform to get on the train last year, so we had to take the car to make it to Hogwarts!" Ron sat up in delight at the memory, and Evalane could only imagine how reckless their decision and its execution must have been.

The Hogwarts Express soon came to a slow stop, and Evalane peered out the window to see a massive castle standing proudly on a mountain top. The moonlight shone through the hundreds of windows on the palace, causing the school to glow softly. Hogwarts was her lighthouse, guiding her soul's ship to safety and the opportunity to live a better life. A life free of fear and being a helpless captive; a life where she can build a reputation of inner strength and a determination to succeed not only for herself but for all she cares about. Evalane Lily Potter was ready for Hogwarts.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4

Once all of the students had quickly and quietly got off the train, Harry and his friends began walking towards the self-driven carriages with the other returning students. Harry stopped Evalane, however, from following them. The boy who lived pointed towards the boats and a man larger than Evalane had ever seen in her life. He appeared to be nearing three meters tall, and the majority of his head was covered in thick and knotted hair. Though he was well aways from where they were, Evalane could tell the man lived a rather rustic lifestyle from the mud caked into his shoes and clothes.

"That's Rubeus Hagrid," Harry explained. "He's the Groundskeeper here. He takes the first years on the boats to the school, so they all stay together for the Sorting Ceremony. You should probably go with them; you won't believe the view. It's unbelievable."

Evalane nodded slowly, but she hesitated to go over to the large man. "Will he allow me onto the boats? I don't exactly look like an eleven year old…"

"Oh I wouldn't worry about Hagrid," Harry pushed her fear aside carelessly. "He's more excited about new students than anyone I know. Just tell him it's your first year, and I'm sure he will be more than happy to let you tag along." Without another word, Evalane pulled her brother into another embrace, and she quickly made her way to the boats and Hagrid.

Like he suspected, Hagrid barely allowed his sister to say her name before he nearly strangled her in a tight, bone-crushing hug, and he carefully guided this unknown first year onto the first boat. Harry watched the small boats slowly drift away before pulling himself into the carriage with his friends.

"Bloody hell, Harry," Ron slouched dramatically into the carriage as it carried them through the forest towards his true home. "A sister?"

"I know," sighing heavily, Harry agreed. Now that she was gone, the reality of Evalane's existence in his life was beginning to sink in...fast.

"Not just a sister, Ronald." Hermione eyes rolled at Ron's mouth once again moving faster than his brain. "The sister he had no idea even existed. When I said little was mentioned about Evalane, I mean next to nothing. Everyone either thought You-Know-Who killed her or she just disappeared, so no one really bothered talking about her. They were preoccupied with the victory against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and how…" Hermione stopped herself from finishing the thought, but Harry knew exactly what she was trying not to say. The entire Wizarding World knew his name: Harry James Potter, The Boy Who Lived. He was not the only one who lived, but his success lead his sister's name to fade into the darkness that nearly got her killed.

"I need answers," The school was finally in view of the Golden trio, but there was an uneasiness in the air that Harry never noticed before until now. "Now."

The past few hours without Evalane had been completely and utterly miserable. Sherlock could barely hold onto his sanity as he heard Mycroft once again bickering with their mother about one thing or another. Honestly, he never paid attention to what it was they argued about. It was pointless, all of it. That was life as a whole in the Holmes' household, constant and pointless bickering between three geniuses and their poor father, who always found himself stuck in the middle of every argument.

The thought of spending almost nine months facing the madness of his family alone made the young teen's stomach churn. Even if she could not direct help, Evalane would always be someone Sherlock could confide his troubles in. Now, life for him appeared rather bleak.

"Sherlock, why don't you stop moping, and help me with dinner." His mother's voice cut through his thoughts like a cleaver going through butter. "I'm tired of being the only person doing the daily chores around here. The least you can do is set the table."

"Why must we eat together anyway?" Mycroft groaned from his seat in the kitchen, as Sherlock dragged his heavy feet towards the table. "It's not like we talk anyway… Sherlock, have you solved that riddle yet?"

Shuffling the silverware in his hands, Sherlock shrugged his shoulders casually at his older brother. "Of course I have, painfully obvious actually."

"Well?"

Without missing a beat, Sherlock responded. "It was the maid, as the murder took place on a Sunday, and there is no post on Sundays."

"You solve that yourself, or did your little friend help you?" Mycroft chuckled to himself and took a generous sip of his wine.

"Don't you think you're a little old to still be living with Mummy?" SHerlock snapped back viciously through gritted teeth.

"That's enough you two!" Mrs. Holmes shouted at her sons with her back turned as she scrambled to finish the stew without completely burning it. "Mikey is welcome to stay as long as he needs to."

"Temporarily…" Another long swig of wine.

"Besides," Sherlock practically fell into his chair at the table. "Evalane went to some boarding school in Scotland this morning."

"I didn't know she was interested in boarding school?" Mr. Holmes Sr. made his way into the kitchen. "Or that her father would even allow her to go that far away? Isn't he overprotective over her?"

"He is," Sherlock replied to his father with a kinder tone than he would towards his brother or mother. "She got accepted into the school about four years ago, but she finally convinced him to let her go this year."

"That's lovely, dear," Mrs. Holmes began serving her stew to her family, not really paying attention to any of the conversation being exchanged between her husband and youngest son.

As a matter of fact, she never did pay attention to anything Sherlock had to say, neither did Mycroft really. His father would occasionally attempt to converse with him, but Sherlock would quickly find himself growing bored with the simple topics of conversation his father had to offer. It wasn't his fault, Sherlock knew that. Mr. Holmes would always be second best in his marriage, in terms of intelligence, but he would always try, much to Sherlock's appreciation. He decided that with Evalane gone, his father was his best option to keep from going mad, at least completely.

The Great Hall was beyond anything Evalane had ever imagined it to be. The books Hermione gave her robbed it of its true brilliance. Her breath was stolen from her chest as she admired the hand crafted wooden tables and the candles hanging from the ceiling. Wait...the candles weren't hanging. They were floating in the air. How was this possible?

I suppose magic, Evalane thought to herself. I better get used to using magic as an explanation.

Not only were candles floating freely, but the ceiling appeared to be an animated replication of the night sky. The stars were shining brighter than a new coin, and the moon had a brilliance that would put the sun itself to shame. Evalane's rational mind was moving faster than light and sound, trying to explain to herself how she managed to find herself here at this school full of magic. What Evalane failed to notice were the stares and whispers being exchanged amongst the Hogwarts' students. All Evalane saw was the Weasley's twins' frantically waving at her from what she assumed to be the Gryffindor table. She did not hesitate to return the wave and smile at her new friends, and she took notice of the isolation between all four houses.

Each of the four tables sat a house: Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and finally Gryffindor. While on the train, Evalane quickly skimmed over the history of the Hogwart's founders and their houses, and she was intrigued by the values of the houses. Once she understood Gryffindor and its encouragement of bravery, she knew Harry, the Weasley's, and even Hermione- though she believed Hermione would have done well in Ravenclaw as well -belonged in Gryffindor. The way the twins never hesitated to take her under their wing before they knew who she was; how Harry sat through Evalane's story and decided to trust her story and her word; how Ron would jump to defend his friends without thinking of himself or his own well-being; the way Hermione would never allow others to silence her because she was confident in her knowledge. All of them were waterfalls of Gryffindor, and Evalane was thrilled to have met them and have them in her life; however, she was not sure if she was a Gryffindor herself, and the obvious division between the houses were worrying her.

A witch stood in front of the first years with a large scroll in one hand and a beaten and worn wizard's hat in the other. Without a word, she placed the hat on the step stool, and the hat began to sing. This place was growing more strange by the second. The "Sorting Hat," as she had heard many students refer to it as, sang a chipper and light-hearted song about the houses, but Evalane only half-listened in order to have the song in her memory. She shifted her focus towards who she believed to be the professors of the school.

The witch standing before them had stiff posture but small wrinkles around her eyes and lips, so Evalane deduced that she must be one of the Heads of the four Houses because her posture suggested a position of authority and wrinkles that revealed an underlying kindness. Judging by the empty seat next to who she believed to be Dumbledore- a former Gryffindor -Evalane deduced that this must be Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor and Transfiguration Professor. Next, gleefully sat a dwarf dressed from head to toe in blue and was smiling from ear to ear at the new students. Evalane had no doubt in her mind that this was Professor Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw and Charms Professor. Naturally, the blue gave it away, and Evalane despised easy answers. Next to Professor Flitwick was a rather plump woman with wispy gray hair and a warm smile on her face. Though Evalane would have figured it was Professor Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff and Herbology Professor, the woman was covered in yellow. Damn, another easy one.

Evalane turned her head towards the end of the table to find a greasy looking man, completely dressed in black and wore a large, hook nose under his dark eyes. He slightly slouched over in his chair, giving away a troubled past and the frequency of being seen as lesser than those around him. He had an air of annoyance around him, like all of the festivities were a waste of his precious time. That was him. Professor Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin, Potions Professor, and the former friend of her mother. Evalane found it hard to believe that her mother would even willing breathe the same air as the miserable looking man, but she had no doubt in her mind that it was him. Without warning, the man's deep brown eyes met with Evalane's. She couldn't explain it, but the look he gave her

Suddenly, the Great Hall erupted in applause as the Sorting Hat's song came to an end. Professor McGonagall took the hat into her hand and spoke out to the young children. "When I call your name, please come forward to be Sorted."

The woman then proceeded to call out names, and one by one, the young boys and girls had the Sorting Hat placed on their heads. The Sorting Hat would be silent for a moment, but would quickly cry out one of the four houses in a booming voice that filled the entire room. The announced house would then cheer and welcome the new first year with open arms. The process was beautiful to Evalane. The older students accepted the new without hesitation and welcomed them into their family without knowing them at all.

Before she knew it, Evalane was the only one left standing in front of the Sorting Hat. The Great Hall was silent, and a wave of confusion swept through the minds of every witch and wizard in the room. "What was your name, dear?"

"Evalane Lily Potter, Ma'am." Ignoring the spurts of surprised whispers from the students, Professor McGonagall simply nodded her head towards the young girl and gestured for her to come sit on the small stool.

"It's good to see you again, Miss Potter," she murmured in her ear as she placed the old hat upon her head. Evalane smiled at the woman, quickly recalling her face from when she was as young as a few months old. She could barely remember her parents presenting her as a newborn, but even Evalane had trouble pulling up memories from infancy.

Ahhhh, another Potter. The hat murmured in her ear in a husky voice like it had been caked in dust. Wasn't expecting you when you're brother was the first to join us here at Hogwarts.

"Well I'm here now," Evalane snapped back. Even this damn hat knew about her existence but still no sign of remorse for never questioning why she had missed the last four years of schooling. "So, aren't you supposed to tell me where I am supposed to be?"

The hat chuckled softly. So quick to judge the situation without knowing all the facts. Yes, like your brother, I believe you will be difficult to place. You have the brave and protective instincts of a Gryffindor, the desire for knowledge like a Ravenclaw, the ambition and leadership skills of a Slytherin, and your loyalty in uncanny to those in Hufflepuff. Yes, very tricky indeed.

"Would you try to quicken your pace of thought at least?" Evalane nervously glanced around the room. "People are beginning to look at me as though I have grown a second nose."

Ah interesting, the hat mumbled, completely ignoring the girl's request as he scoured through her mind palace of memories. Evalane did not realize how long she had been sitting in front of the entire castle of strangers, but she began to notice that this should not be taking as long as it was. The other first years she had seen had sat with the Sorting Hat for at the most of four minutes. Her palms began to sweat excessively, but she resisted wiping them on her sides to avoid revealing how nervous she was beginning to get. Then it happened. The Sorting Hat finally spoke out in a loud voice with more confidence than any human sitting in the Great Hall.

"SLYTHERIN"

 **Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in updates! I just finished up with college finals, so studying was taking up a majority of my free time. Thank you all SO much for following this story, and a special shoutout to the amazing padfootl0ve for the incredibly sweet review that absolutely made my day 3! Don't be shy to leave a review! I love the feedback! xx**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Sorry it has been so long since an update! The new school semester has started, so it has taken me a while to find the time to write. I'm back now, and I would like to say a few things before we get this chapter going!**

 **Firstly, I would like to thank all of you who have left reviews, followed, and favorited my little story! Your support is completely unexpected but 100% appreciated. Thank you so very much!**

 **Secondly, I would like to draw attention to the content to one review that I received that really struck a chord with me. One of you pointed out your disapproval of the mention of sexual assault in the earlier chapters. Though it was not my intention to use it as a throw away line, I see how my use of it for dramatic purposes is insensitive and completely disrespectful. I would like to formally apologize to my readers because I know how upset I would be if I saw writing done in this way, and I would like to inform you that I have removed that part completely from the narrative. Thank you to the person who wrote this review and bringing this issue to my attention, and again, I am so sorry. I hope you all enjoy the next installment of the story, and feel free to leave a review xx**

Chapter 5

One minute. Five minutes. Nearly ten minutes of absolute silence passed in the Great Hall. Evalane was not entirely sure how to handle the situation; it was almost as awkward as the time Sherlock fell down the steps at their elementary school, and Evalane was the only person to offer him help. Life was so simple back then. Granted she was miserable most of the time due to the daily torment she received from Todd, but at least she had Sherlock. What did she have now? A massive room full of apparently wizards and witches staring at her like they were waiting for her to spit fire or make the sky explode.

"Well, go on and sit with the rest of your House, Miss Potter," removing the Sorting Hat from the young teen's head, Professor McGonagall nods her head towards the table of green and silver. Evalane could feel the woman's disappointment radiating from her soul, but she was trying to hold it back for her sake.

With lead feet, Evalane made her way to the Slytherin table. Hundreds of eyes scanned her from head to toe in every way from condescending hatred to a neutral uneasiness; though the Hat said so, she felt anything but a welcoming unity from the House. She quietly took a seat next to one of the first years, and before she could receive any ridicule from her new Housemates, Professor Dumbledore rose to his feet and silence graced the entire room. He was older than the other professors at the table with a white and silver beard and whiskers falling to just below the waist of his violet robes, and resting on his crooked nose were half-moon spectacles.

"Welcome. Welcome, all of you, to another wonderful year at Hogwarts. Before your minds are befuddled by our excellent feast, I have a few important announcements to make, one being rather serious."

The old wizard cleared his throat, leaving every student on the edge of their seat. "I'm sure many if not all of you are aware of the dementor's search of the Hogwarts Express, and I'm especially certain that you are wondering why. Well, Hogwarts will be hosting some of the dementors of Azkaban for the time being, as they are here on business for the Ministry of Magic." A sour expression crept onto the face of the otherwise kind wizard, so Evalane could only assume that this Ministry gave the Headmaster little say in this matter.

"Therefore, as a precaution, no student under any circumstances is permitted to leave the grounds without the permission of a professor. Dementors are no creature that are easily hoodwinked by disguises, tricks, or even Invisibility Cloaks." Dumbledore playfully lowered his head towards the Gryffindor table, making Evalane suspect that one of these cloaks was in the possession of a Gryffindor, but one can never be entirely sure.

"I would advise each and every one of you to give the dementors no reason to harm you. Dementors cannot tell the difference between an innocent misunderstanding between the crime they seek, and it is not in their nature to be understanding towards excuses or pleadings. I ask all prefects and this term's Head Boy and Girl to keep a close watch on the younger students." The man paused to catch his breath, and he looked around the Great Hall for some kind of a reaction. Not one soul moved or made a noise of any kind.

"On a lighter note, I am pleased to announce that we have made two additions to our staff," Dumbledore continued. "First, I would like to introduce Professor Lupin, who will be filling the position for Defense Against the Dark Arts."

A few students and most of the other professors gave the man some polite applause, but Evalane and her brother's table made up for the room's lack of enthusiasm for the new professor. Perhaps the position is frequently being refilled, Evalane thought to herself as she watched Lupin rise from his seat. The poor man looked out of place amongst the other staff members in their fanciest robes, but he seemed content nonetheless. Professor Snape, on the other hand, seemed to have acquired a rancid taste in his mouth and gave two half-hearted claps for his new colleague.

"Secondly, due to Professor Kettleburn's retirement- as he desired to spend the rest of his days relaxing with his remaining limbs -the position of Care for Magical Creatures teacher will go to Hogwarts' very own gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid." A much louder applause broke out throughout the Great Hall for the massive man, who nearly knocked over the table trying to stand up.

"I believe that is all," Dumbledore smiled once the applause had died down, "So let us enjoy the feast!" Suddenly the tables were full of the most beautiful foods and drinks Evalane had ever seen in her life, and not only that, this was the most food Evalane had ever seen period. The students had the option of turkey, chicken, ham, and pork, along with dozens of options of sides that were completely unknown to her. Her mouth began to water uncontrollably, but she hesitated to take a helping. The other students around her, however, grabbed anything and everything that made their tummies happily rumble.

"What are you doing?" A boy with platinum blond hair sneered through a mouthful of ham. By the looks of his pristine school robes and his overly confident mannerisms suggested that this boy's family was rather well-off, and he was used to being perfectly capable of criticizing others without any kind of repercussions. That being said, this boy clearly had his own personal insecurities that required constant reassurance of his superiority.

"Hello? You deaf, Potter?" The boy was now waving his hand in front of her face. He had two rather large friends chuckling next to him.

"I am not deaf," Evalane grabbed his wrist before he could utter another word. "And even if I was, what good would waving your grimy hand in front of my face do?"

The boy quickly tugged his hand away from her grasp. "Well now, Potter, seems like you're more of a Slytherin than we would have expected. Look," he leaned in closer, bringing his voice down to a whisper. "Being a Potter in Slytherin won't be easy, not to mention that you're almost five years behind. Making friends is crucial to your success here, and I can help you with that."

He extended his hand to Evalane, but what he did not realize was that she was able to tell exactly what kind of person this boy was just by looking at him.

"You know what," she lifted her hand towards his, but instead of accepting it, she gently pushed his hand down. "I would, but I can already see that you are a narcissistic arse who is so incredibly insecure with himself that he feels the need to make everyone around him feel inferior, WHICH you have plenty experience of since you crave approval from your powerful and wealthy parents."

The boy was completely taken aback by the accuracy of Evalane's accusations, but as Evalane predicted, he quickly covered up the rejection with more insults.

"You'll regret this, Potter," he spat as he coldly turned away from her.

"Don't think I will," Evalane chuckled to herself. Looking back towards the extensive supply of food in front of her. She was unsure where to even begin with this meal. Any food brought into the Knaggs' home would either be alcohol or cheap fast food, and most all of it went down Todd's throat. For years Evalane had accepted any scraps that she could find, so having all of this food at her disposal was overwhelming.

She decided to start out slowly with a small piece of chicken. The flavors danced freely on her tongue, pulling Evalane into a daze of complete bliss. Before she could decide on another delicacy to try, the entire staff table rose from their chairs, and the entirety of Hogwarts quickly followed suit. An older girl from Slytherin approached the first years and gestured for them to follow her. Evalane didn't have much time to give a complete deduction of the girl, but from a quick glance she could tell that she also came from a wealthy family but also had two siblings- one older and one younger -and had an absurd addiction to chocolate. The girl walked with excited purpose, so she struggled to keep track of the many first years trailing behind her.

"Hello first-years! My name is Emma, and I am honored to be the prefect to welcome you to Slytherin House!" She weaved her way through the many other students trying to find their way through the corridors, half-shouting and half-talking to the dozen eleven year olds and one confused fifteen year old. "A few things about Slytherin House that you should know before term begins: our emblem is a serpent, the wisest of all creatures. Our House colors are emerald green and silver, so don't be shy to show off your Slytherin pride both in and out of school! Oh! And here we are!"

The small group of students stood before a large concrete door that was seemed to be hidden away from the rest of the hustle and bustle of the castle in the dampest, darkest corner of the school. Emma turned to the first-years, pulling an old silver key from her robe pocket.

"This door is the most common way to get down to the dungeons, which is where you will be spending most of your freetime." Without any other explanation, she turned to unlock the dungeon door.

"I'm sorry," A boy quietly chimed in, causing a stir amongst their new classmates. "Did you just say the dungeons?"

The door swung open to reveal a staircase descending into a dark and murky hall. Emma practically skipped down the stairs, but Evalane and the younger students slowly made their way down into the dungeons. Every one of their steps echoed for what seemed like a million kilometers away, and there were a few lanterns to give the hall some light; however, the light was only emphasizing the eeriness of the atmosphere because of the way the flickering candlelight made every shadow extend for an eternity across the dusty brick wall. Finally, the small party stopped in front of yet another door, but this one had a small snake carved into the dark wood above the handle.

"This here is the entrance to the Slytherin common room and dormitories. In order to enter, you have to give a password." Emma took her place i front of the entrance, and simply uttered the word "Pureblood" and the lock clicked. Grinning from ear to ear, Emma pushed the door open. With curiosity swimming in the young students eyes, they all craned their necks to catch a glimpse of what will become their home for the next seven years.

The dreariness of the dungeons made the Slytherin common room appear to be a utopia of life and relaxation; in fact, many of them struggled to believe that it was connected to the dungeons at all and not some magical portal to a different world. The only reason Evalane knew for certain that it was not a portal was because the walls of the common were the same grey stone, though these walls were clean and not covered in the same dust and grime as in the hall. The decor of the common room was covered in an elegant green, and when she looked up, Evalane could see beautiful silver chandeliers hanging from shining chains.

The sound of crackling flames caught Evalane's attention, and she turned to view a massive brick fireplace that was basically the centerpiece of the room, consuming everyone's attention to the red and orange flames that danced at its core. The walls of the common room were covered in lopsided oval windows, but instead of the fields and blue sky, Evalane could see sand and fish swimming happily through the current. The entire common room was submerged in water.

"As you can see, the common room has many wonderful advantages that anyone is welcome to use! We have plenty of comfortable chairs and desks for either relaxing or studying; the fireplace is enchanted, so there's always a fire burning." Emma grinned from ear to ear as she witnessed another round of first years stand in complete awe of their new home. "Girls' dormitories are to your right down those stairs, and boys' to your left. There's three of you to a room, and your names are posted on the door. Tomorrow is the first day of classes, but don't worry, you'll receive your class schedule at breakfast tomorrow at 9 o'clock sharp! Any questions?"

When no one bothered to raise their hands, Emma simply dismissed the young children to their rooms for the night. Evalane soon found herself standing in front of a small door, slightly isolated from the other girls' dorms, and instead of two roommates, it was just her in the room. Her room was simple, just a black desk and a bed with deep green sheets, but it was more than she could have ever hoped for.

Reality suddenly sank in faster than quicksand. This was her life. This was going to be her room, and tomorrow was going to begin her "magic" education. It was very rapidly becoming too much for her to handle. Before she could have a full blown mental breakdown, however, there were three quick taps on her door.

"Yes?"

"Hi Evalane!" Emma poked her head through the doorway. "Professor Dumbledore wanted to speak with you before the night is over, so mind following me up to his office?"

"Y-yeah...yeah, sure that's fine," and taking one last glance of her new home, Evalane Lily Potter made her way to speak with the Headmaster of Hogwarts.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thank you for giving my fic a read! Please feel free to leave a review (mainly to help me find the motivation to write more!)**

Chapter 6

Albus Dumbledore may be a strategic and powerful man and wizard, but nevertheless, he was human. Humans make mistakes. Evalane Lily Potter was possibly one of his greatest mistakes. When Harry defeated Voldemort, at least for the time being, Dumbledore made his safety his number one priority. He will sadly admit that he assumed the sister had been killed as Lily and James had, so he simply put her out of his mind. Besides, her being dead made his life much easier and far less messy than had she been alive. Now, almost twelve years later, Evalane was back in the picture, and the old Headmaster was panicking.

"I need to ask a favour from you, Professor." Lily Potter came to Hogwarts about a week before the family went into hiding. Dumbledore would say she seemed frightened, but Lily was never the type to cower in the face of adversity.

"Of course, Mrs. Potter," Dumbledore welcomed her into his office, completely unaware of what he could possibly do to help the woman who had been marked for death.

She took a seat, fiddling with the sleeve of her sweater. "It's about Evalane…"

"You asked to see me, sir?" Evalane's voice, strong and firm, snapped the Headmaster back to the present. Merlin, she looked as much as her mother as Harry did James. In fact, besides the dark hair, she did not seem to have a lick of James Potter in her, which was worrisome.

"Have you ever seen a Phoenix, Miss Potter?" He walked over towards Fawkes' cage, where the bird was fluffing his scarlet feathers. "Beautiful, isn't he?"

"I thought Phoenix's were only in literature, sir," She followed the old wizard, but she seemed unamused by his ramblings. Interesting…

"They are found in many tales and legends, yes, but why should that mean they can't exist in reality?" The bird made eye contact with the young Potter, tilting its head with curiosity as if he were trying to read in an unknown language for the first time. "How are you enjoying Hogwarts so far?"

The girl shifted her gaze to Dumbledore. He was praying she would not ask too many questions because he knew she was not ready for the answers. "It's a lot bigger than I expected, I suppose. I haven't been here long enough to really give an honest response."

"You have a point, Miss Potter," he chuckled, moving over to his desk, and offering Evalane a seat and a piece of the new lemon candies he found in Diagon Alley, though she declined. "Now, why don't we discuss your options for this upcoming term? First things first, it's obvious that you are not at the same academic level as your peers, but you also would not fit in well with the other first years…"

"I was worrying about that myself, sir," Evalane pondered aloud to the old wizard. In her mind, she knew that if anyone knew the answers to her questions- like why no one looked for her after her parents' death, what even killed her parents, and countless of others -Dumbledore would be the one with the information; however, the Headmaster was clearly nervous by her presence. He would not hold eye contact for longer than two seconds, and he kept fidgeting with just about everything on his desk. The man was clearly hiding something. Secrets? Guilt? Whatever it was, Evalane could assume he was not the kind of man who would not spill his secrets because of being cornered by a total stranger. No, this would take time, and she had been given all the time in the world. "If the circumstances had been different, I would be happy to start with the other first years, but I'm sure you can see how no one could benefit from this. The age gap between myself and my peers is reason alone to promote the need for an adjustment. Is there anyway I could be tested on the information I already know? That way I can at least move further along in the curriculum?"

Raising his eyebrow, Dumbledore asked her if she would be able to take such a test, as she most likely had not had much experience with magic.

"I haven't, sir; however, I was able to look at some of Hermione Granger's textbooks on the train ride here. You see Professor, I have a photographic memory, as they call it. I can easily recall every word, picture, and memory that I have ever seen, read, and heard in my life. If you allow me to, I'm sure I can pass any test you can concoct over the last four years of material. All I would need is about a day or so in order to read and practice the material." The wheels began to visibly turn in Dumbledore's mind, and Evalane was starting to believe that she may actually convince him to permit her this ridiculous request. After a long pause, he finally spoke.

"Naturally, I will need to speak to all of the professors, as this would be a large sum of material to prepare in a short amount of time, but I don't see why that can not be possible." The Headmaster rose from his seat, and he offered his hand out to the newest student at Hogwarts. She graciously accepted his gesture, noting that while his hand seemed old and fragile, he kept a firm grip. This was clearly a man who not only knew how to remain in control but will always be. "What's today? Wednesday? How about we schedule this little test for Friday evening? That way you will not miss too much material from your current courses. For tomorrow and until your test, just attend the first year classes you have been scheduled for."

"That's perfect, sir! Thank you very much!" Evalane rose to leave for her dormitory, or maybe she could tell Harry the good news. She was certain that he would want to know about this, and maybe then she could find Fred and George! Even though she was slightly disappointed that the twins were in a different house, she saw no reason that she could not still be friends with them.

"It has been a pleasure speaking with you, Evalane," Dumbledore smiled and walked with her to his office door. "That is a lovely name, I might mention. Do you go by Evalane or perhaps Lanie?"

"Thank you, sir. My mother once told me that it was a name from my father's side of the family; I used to hate it growing up, but it has grown on me over the years. My friends would call me Eva for short, so that's fine with me!"

"Well, I look forward to having you here at Hogwarts, Eva Potter."

"Likewise, Professor."

Once she left the Headmaster's office, the sun had set over the rolling hills outside, leaving the sky a blended mixture of the deepest blue and purple Eva had ever seen. The moon was peeking over the sea of dark trees like it was playing peek-a-boo with the world, and if you looked closely, you could see tiny stars- shinier than diamonds -begin to shimmer in the skyline. Tomorrow would begin her new academic journey at Hogwarts, but what she did not know was the real trouble brewing in the castle ever since she set foot inside.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! Thank you all for waiting so patiently for this next chapter! School has been kicking my butt this past month, BUT I have made this chapter extra long to make up for it! I'm really excited about this chapter and I hope you enjoy it! As always, I only own my OC and the general plot direction. JK Rowling and BBC's Sherlock own the majority of these concepts and characters. Feel free to leave a review, as I love and appreciate your feedback! XOXO**

Chapter 7

Dear Sherlock,

I hope school is going well, and that Mycroft is not giving you too much of a hard time adjusting to being at high school. I can practically hear him going on and on about how juvenile it all is, but you know that's only because he was too arrogant to make friends! Don't let him discourage you, though. I know that you're nervous (no, I know you are Sherlock!), but I promise it will be

"Promise it will be what?" Evalane mumbled to herself and crumpled the parchment before throwing it into the waste bin. If she was being honest, she had no idea what to even say to Sherlock. The guilt of leaving him in the dark about her current situation was beginning to sink in, and her view of the golden sun crawling over the horizon and illuminating the trees and grass freshly covered in dew did not make her feel any less guilty. She wanted to tell him. She wanted to be able to talk to her best friend about magic and how curious wands really were, but she knew she couldn't, or shouldn't at least.

Evalane glanced over to the clock hanging over the door- a fairly odd place to put a clock if she really thought about it -and noticed she had about twenty minutes before breakfast began in the Great Hall. She was not entirely sure what all she could bring to her classes, as she had yet to receive the rest of her textbooks and other supplies. At least she still had the spare uniform from Hermione, even if they were a little too short, and the prefect gave out Slytherin robes and ties to all of the first years. Hopefully she would learn some spell or potion that could help her duplicate things. Evalane chuckled at the thought of the actual possibility of those things not only existing but at her disposal.

"I guess I'll just figure it out," Pulling her black hair into a ponytail, Evalane smoothed out her robes and grabbed her backpack that had the few textbooks from Hermione's first year, a few spare sheets of parchment she found in the desk of her room, and a "Muggle" pen she was able to bring from home to head over to the Great Hall. The common room was swarming with students' chatter, so Evalane tried to make her way through the crowd without bringing too much attention to herself. It's not that she did not want to make friends; her first priority was getting to know her brother before knowing anyone else...

"Trying to run off are you, Potter?" There was the icy voice of that Malfoy boy again. Her eyes rolled so far back into her head that she could practically see her own brain, but she turned anyway to look at the nuisance. Apparently the smug smile on his face was a permanent feature, and from the crispness of his uniform, Evalane could tell he took a long time to get ready that morning. Little did this boy know that Evalane could also see the wrinkles in his pants, meaning he had been waiting for her specifically to make an appearance. How juvenile, but then again, the boy was thirteen after all.

"Just going to breakfast, Draco. You know that meal that everyone has at the beginning of the day? Some people even call it, THE MOST important meal of the day?" Some of the first years standing near the door began giggling.

Draco's slender nose scrunched in disgust. "I know what breakfast is, POTTER. I had a question for you. How does it feel to be the reject child of the family?"

"Just fine, thank you. Besides, from the sounds of it Draco, your parents saw how you turned out, so they decided not to risk bringing more defective spawn into the world." More snickering emerged from around the common room, and Evalane was beginning to enjoy the sound of people laughing at the young Malfoy's expense. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to breakfast. Unless you had some other half-effort insult to throw at me?"

Without responding, Draco stormed off with whom appeared to be two of his own personal lackeys. Rolling her eyes, Evalane left the common room and did her best to make it back to the Great Hall without getting too lost in the winding and seemingly endless corridors and staircases. Once she had finally made it to breakfast- with two minutes to spare -she decided to make her way over to the Gryffindor table to say hello to her little brother. Maybe he would want to meet up at some time that day and get to know each other better? She took excited strides over to where she saw Harry enjoying his breakfast and the company of his friends, but she noticed that a wave of silence would pass as she walked past Gryffindors of every age.

"Good morning, Harry!" Her brother turned to face her, but his expression suggested he was slightly apprehensive to do so. Not only was it his expression, but his hands gripped the table just slightly tighter than a moment ago and his eyes never truly made connected with hers.

"Morning."

"I was wondering if you had any free time this afternoon? Maybe we can hang out and catch each other up on, well, our lives I suppose?" Harry's friend, Ron, turned and gave Evalane a look that nearly sent chills down her spine. In fact, many of the students sitting near them were doing the same, except for Hermione, who simply smiled but in a way that read off as nothing more than cordial. Evalane could not help but shift her weight uncomfortably. She became very aware of how tight her blouse and skirt were. She really did hate skirts. They had always seemed like a lazy version of shorts but were even more unflattering on her since the waistband was too large but was too tight around her thighs. "I'm sorry, did I miss something?"

"What?" Harry jerked back like he had just been pulled out of some kind of trance. "No...no why?"

"Well everyone here is staring at me as though I grew another head?" Before she could finish the sentence, the Gryffindors quickly turned back to their food to devour every last morsel.

"Don't...don't worry about them," Harry shook his head quickly, but he silently shot Ron a warning look because his stare had not broken with the rest of the table. Ron suddenly must have become famished because he started to completely destroy the overly buttered waffle in front of him. "I'm free around 3 o'clock if you want? We can meet by the lake?"

To that, Evalane could not stop herself from smiling, and she even allowed a few of her slightly crooked teeth to make an appearance. "I would absolutely love that! I will see you there!"

Harry, thankfully, returned the smile before returning to his breakfast. Evalane then started to make her way to the Slytherin table to get herself one of those waffles, and probably some eggs, and maybe some sausage, and fruit…

"Hey! Evalane!"

"Wait up!"

Evalane was slightly surprised to see the Weasley twins chasing after her in the Great Hall, but there they were nonetheless. Fred and George both neglected to have their robes on, but they were sporting grey sweaters with the Gryffindor crest on their left breast. Fred's tie was slightly more askew than George's, but that was not saying much since George's undershirt was poking out from underneath his sweater.

"Hello boys," stopping for the twins to catch up, Evalane gave both Weasleys a quick once over. "Running late this morning?"

"How did you…" Fred began, panting softly from running over to her.

"Know we were late?" George completed the thought before putting his hands on his hips to catch his breath.

"Besides the fact that you're both heaving like you just ran a 5-kilometer race? I mean, come on! Your hair is a complete mess, both of your ties are flying all over the place, George I can see your undershirt is untucked at your sides, neither of you have your robes on, and Fred...are your shoes even on the right feet?" Fred immediately shot his head down to stare at his while, and George scrambled with cat-like reflexes to tuck in the rest of his shirt. "All signs are pointing to the conclusion that you overslept and were almost late for breakfast. Fred, just the fact that your shoes were on the wrong feet I can tell George is the one who woke up first."

Fred's face flushed in a crimson shade, and George started laughing hysterically at his brother's inability to dispute the accusation.

"You got us, I guess!" George threw his arms into the air like he was surrendering at war. Fred grinned and imitated his brother and threw his head back dramatically in defeat.

"We just were wondering what classes you had today?" Fred jokingly squinted his eyes shut to avoid anymore berating from Evalane.

"Oh stop," she playfully nudged both boys on the shoulder. "Well to start I have Potions for about two hours? Then I have a quick break for lunch, and then I have Transfiguration!"

"First day and you have double Potions?! Blimey, that's dreadful!" George pulled Evalane into a tight embrace, and then loudly whispered in her ear, "Good luck, mate! I hope you survive!"

"Oh get off her, Georgie!" Fred laughed and ripped his brother off their friend like there was Velcro between them. "It won't be nearly that bad the first day. I mean, it'll be bad, but you should make it out alive."

"Professor Snape is that bad, huh?"

"You should be alright since you're a Slytherin." Fred reassured her, but George was nodding his head like he wanted it to fall off.

"You're also a Potter," George glanced over to the Head Table, where they could see the old Potions professor scowling at a bowl of oatmeal. "So I would just lay low if I were you…"

"Has my brother given him a hard time or something?" Nervously tugging at the sleeves of her robes, Evalane also looked towards Snape. Though she did not care to admit, the man did make her rather uneasy. She just assumed her experience with him would be decent because of her mother, but she should have considered the kind of relationship the man had with her father. "Or has he given my brother a hard time?"

"A little bit of both, I guess," Fred chuckled. "Just don't do anything to push his buttons."

Rolling his eyes, George replied, "Isn't that simply existing all together?"

"ANYWAYS," Fred shouted over his brother. "We also have lunch at that time! Care to join us?"

Remembering the incident a few moments ago, Evalane wondered if eating lunch with the twins would be a good idea. "I don't think your fellow Gryffindors would appreciate that. For some reason, they all have a grudge against me."

"Oh don't worry about that!" Fred swatted this away as quickly as she mentioned it.

"That's just the old rivalry between our houses talking!" George added. "It's not you, it's just your house."

Slightly offended by this, Evalane could not help but ask, "So why do you two want to have lunch with me? Kind of defeats the whole purpose of a rivalry, don't you think? Wouldn't want to ruin your reputation."

"George and me were never much of rule followers, right Georgie?"

"Never, Freddy!" George nodded with mischief sparkling in his eyes.

Evalane happily agreed to meet the boys back in the Great Hall for lunch, mainly because at this moment, they were the only ones besides Harry willing to offer her kindness, let alone friendship. She was well aware that she was in no position to turn away friends, but she still wanted to make her relationship with her brother her main priority. She supposed that befriending the twins would be a decent exception, however.

No matter what the twins tried to say, her anxiety about her double Potions lesson was keeping her optimism cornered in her mind. Ideally, Professor Snape would completely ignore her throughout the entire two hours, but judging from his permanent brooding glare, he did not seem like the person who would let someone like her go unnoticed. Confrontation seemed to be inevitable, so Evalane tried to do some last minute preparations while scarfing down an entire waffle.

The Potions classroom was far too similar to the dungeons to be a comfortable environment. The desks and chairs were mysteriously stained and beginning to splinter on the sides, like the wood was rejecting itself and tearing apart. There were candles illuminating the room in a yellow haze, and you could see the thousands of dust particles dancing in the light and forming a cloud of misery from past students. All four walls were lined with a rainbow of jars and bottles, all filled with strange liquids and unidentifiable objects. The labels on the jars were scribbled in the kind of handwriting that looked more like splattered paint than actual words. At the front of the room stood a plain black chalkboard, and in the furthest corner of the classroom was a high-standing desk that had next to nothing on top of it.

The students, all of whom were first years besides Evalane, were happily chatting at the desks while they waited for the lesson to begin. It seemed like the class was a combination of Slytherin and Ravenclaw. Before Evalane could make herself comfortable in the back table on a nearly broken stool, a massive boom echoed from behind the desks and a bat like mass floated past the now silent students.

"There will be no foolish wand waving or ridiculous incantations in this class." Professor Snape's voice was deep and cold, like he had recited this speech a million times. These children were nothing to this man except a way to pass time during the day. Once placing himself in front of the class, the air seemed to drop a few degrees in temperature. His eyes were like the night: dark, empty, and silent. His robes were also black, which made Evalane realize how little this man cared about appearances. More likely than not, he owned multiples of those same robes for the sake of practicality.

"I do not expect any of you to appreciate or understand the subtle science or exact art that is Potion making; however, for those of you who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind, ensnare the senses, bottle fame, brew glory. I can teach you how to put a stopper in death. Any questions before we begin?" No response from the small group of actual children, and Evalane really could not blame them. The superiority complex this man possessed was utterly terrifying. Evalane, on the other hand, saw this as a challenge. No one could act this cold and condescending without having experienced it themselves. She knew her mother would not defend this man for no reason, and that was enough for her to go on. She decided to raise her hand.

"Ah yes, Miss Evalane Potter." Snape mused. "Already trying to interrupt lessons, just like your brother."

"Feel free to call me Eva, Professor Snape," Evalane smiled sweetly, making the younger children visibly nervous for her. "I only wanted to ask if wands will never be a necessity in potion making, or is this just a general rule for this class in particular?"

Faster than a gust of a storm's wind, Professor Snape was standing before her, his lips curling in disgust revealing slightly yellowed teeth. "Miss Potter," he snarled. "I should have expected you to be just as arrogant as your brother. Let me ask you this, what would you get if you added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

The question Snape presented to Evalane was quite complicated. In fact, the first year textbook barely touched on how different forms of each ingredient affects the potion. Nevertheless, Evalane took a moment to scour the depths of her mind palace and was able to retrieve the answer seconds later. "I believe...if my memory serves me properly...it creates a sleeping potion. In fact, the potion is so powerful that it is more commonly known as the Draught...yes, the Draught of the Living Dead."

Snape, involuntarily, raised his brow in shock, but quickly erased it to resume the form of an emotionless chalkboard. "Your brother warned you about this class, didn't he?"

"Pardon?" The word slipped out of her mouth before she could stop herself, or that's what she wanted them to believe.

"I asked Mr. Potter that same question during his first lesson. Now, I will only ask one more time. Did he or did he not have you prepare that answer for this class?" A chair screeched along the floor, and though Evalane did not dare look away from the professor, she knew all eyes were on her.

"He did not," Evalane smiled, sensing the man wanted confrontation, craved it even, but he wanted to face an opponent he knew he could easily defeat. Professor Severus Snape seemed to be nothing more than a bully. It just so happened that Evalane's favorite hobby was to prove bullies wrong. "Perhaps you could ask me a different question? One my brother did not get?"

The first years shifted their focus back to Snape, who seemed a little taken aback by the offer. "Very well," he began slowly, unsure of how to approach this situation but never backing down. "Name the side effects of the Elixir to induce euphoria and what is used to counterbalance it?"

"Singing as well as nose-tweaking, if I remember correctly." A first year actually gasped from two rows in front of her, but he or she was quickly shushed by a classmate. "Oh, and the potion is counterbalanced by peppermint."

Snape tilted his head slightly, telling Evalane's deduction skills that not only did she disprove everything Snape assumed about her, but she had actually impressed him. "Where were you able to learn all of this?" He spoke almost a whisper, like he was worried someone would hear him being in a state of disbelief.

"Just the textbook, Professor," Evalane smiled. "But I know I have much more to learn. I'm excited to do so."

Snape did not respond to this, but Evalane sensed that he really did not know how. He quickly turned his back to her and made long strides back to the front of the class, but before he resumed the lesson, which went on without another incident, he spoke out in his booming voice, "Ten points to Slytherin, for Miss Potter's preparation for today's lesson."

Evalane took down careful notes during the lecture, but mostly as a formality and to lead by example for the younger students. Before the lesson ended, she pulled out a spare sheet of parchment and began to write.

Dear Sherlock,

I hope school is going well, and that Mycroft is not giving you too much of a hard time adjusting to being at high school. I can practically hear him going on and on about how juvenile it all is, but you know that's only because he was too arrogant to make friends! Don't let him discourage you, though. I know that you're nervous (no, I know you are Sherlock!), but I promise it will be wonderful in the end. If you happen to find yourself in a situation where someone doubts you or your abilities, don't cower from them. I was just harassed by my professor (My FIRST lesson of my first day!) because he assumed I did not know enough or that I was not worthy of his time, but I used the knowledge I know I have to prove him wrong. That's all it takes! Never let people underestimate you, Sherlock. Once people see how smart and wonderful you are, there's no stopping you!

Hope to hear from you very soon! I miss you friend.

 _-Evalane L. Potter_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 8

 _Hope to hear from you very soon! I miss you friend._

 _-Evalane L. Potter_

Sherlock struggled to read through Evalane's letter. Not because of the constant and blinding noise from the school's corridor, but mostly since he was surprised at how much she knew even when she wasn't here with him. Everything her letter said could easily be applied to his current situation.

Like Evalane inferred, Mycroft had spent the last remaining days of summer pestering Sherlock about the new secondary school. He would go on and on about how bored Sherlock would be in lessons, saying they were as intellectually stimulating as a doorknob. Naturally, Sherlock did not doubt this, but he was more worried about his classmates. Having Evalane around made school easier because at least she understood him and could have a decent conversation with him. In the past, many of their classmates would not appreciate Sherlock's intelligence and lack of social skills, but it was Evalane who gave him a chance at real friendship. Now he was standing in the halls of a prison-esque building that reeked of insecurity and acne. Disgusting.

Nonetheless, he was alone in this prison, and as much as he hated the idea, Sherlock knew Evalane would have no problem making friends at her new school. She would want him to at least try to talk to new people until she came back. A deafening bell screamed throughout the entire school, sending swarms of students to their classrooms. Looking at his timetable as a constant reference, Sherlock managed to maneuver his way into his assigned homeroom. Twenty pairs of eyes immediately landed on Sherlock, but he was too busy looking for an empty seat to notice the whispers spreading across the room.

There were only three available desks left, and his options were not the best. The seat in the middle of the back row was surrounded by three intoxicated looking students, all wearing baggy shorts and ripped and stained plaid shirts. Each had a vacant look in their eyes, suggesting that they were using drugs to blindfold themselves from their dreadful home lives. Another empty desk sat by the window, which would be ideal for Sherlock to distract himself from the mindless chatter of his classmates. On the other hand, the desk was in between an obvious jock and some girl he was trying to impress. A definite no.

The only desk left was in the front row. This particular seat was directly in front of the teacher's desk and sitting at this desk was a woman in her mid-fifties scribbling in a notebook with a black pen. She had pulled her greying hair back so tightly that Sherlock suspected she believed it would tighten her wrinkling skin, and her spectacles were slowly sliding down the oily bridge of her nose. The bottom of her skirt had traces of short white hairs: a cat. Maybe more than one judging by how much hair there was.

The teacher glanced up from her notebook, making direct eye contact with Sherlock. "Have a seat. We will get started in a moment." Her voice had a much higher pitch than Sherlock expected. Interesting. He made his way to the desk in the front row and made a lame attempt to settle himself by adjusting his necktie so many times that it nearly came undone completely.

The second bell made Sherlock flinch in his seat, but the teacher barely glanced up from her notebook. After a moment of more awkward silence, she rose from her chair and made her way to the blackboard. Yes, definitely more than one cat.

"Good morning. My name is Ms. Micklebery, and I will be your homeroom teacher over the course of your remaining years at Rinehall Academy. Twice a month on the first day of the week, you will report here before your classes to receive updates. I understand a few of you have transferred from the secondary school that was shut down last spring. I can assure you that you will find Rinehall Academy to exceed your highest expectations."

Doubtful, Sherlock thought to himself. So far, Rinehall Academy has been as prestigious as an American McDonald's at three in the morning, with its paint chipping and peeling off the walls and the faint stench of warm sewage lingering in the halls. Nothing about this place could possibly impress Sherlock. Without warning, the classroom door swung open. Standing in the doorway was a boy struggling to hold all his textbooks.

"Sorry ma'am! I...um...I got lost in the corridors. Won't happen again, I swear it." This boy tried to sound sincere, but he held his eye contact with the teacher for a little too long, suggesting that not only the boy was not in fact sorry but also knew this teacher well enough to have the ability to jest with her.

Ms. Micklebery rolled her eyes, completely unamused. "Have a seat, Mr. Carn. Try not to make tardiness a habit this term, understand?"

With nothing more than a chuckle and a salute, the boy made his way over to an empty desk. This particular desk was the one directly next to Sherlock, giving him the opportunity to quickly make a few deductions about him. The boy seemed to have come from a middle-class family, judging by how his jacket, tie, and black dress slacks were crisp and seemingly new; however, his dress shoes were at least two years old. Most middle-class families are willing to spend the money on superficial and material objects when they are in the direct line of sight. Certain aspects of appearance like a person's shoes tend to be placed on the back burner. The boy's strawberry blond hair was styled with gel and pulled back away from his freckled face.

The boy turned to Sherlock and smiled warmly, like the sun shining on a field for the first time after a harsh winter. He extended his hand to Sherlock. "Pleasure to meet you! Name's Randolph Nicholas Carn, Randy for short, naturally. Saying that whole lot gets bloody annoying if you ask me." Sherlock nervously accepted the boy's hand, and he was surprised by the gentle coolness of his palm. "See mate, this is the part where you tell me who you are, yeah?"

"Oh…right…" Sherlock was baffled at his own inability to form a coherent sentence. "I'm Sherlock, Sherlock Holmes."

Much to his relief, the bell's piercing cry rang through the halls before Sherlock could embarrass himself anymore. The students rose from their desks automatically and made their way out the door like pieces of machinery in an assembly line. Randy gave Ms. Micklebery a flamboyant wink, which caused her to immediately roll her eyes, and he rose from his chair.

"So," Randy was still talking to him? Strange since, up until this moment, Sherlock believed himself to generally be a repellent for his peers. "Where you headed, Sherlock?"

"Um," Fumbling over himself, Sherlock pulled his timetable from his pocket. Get it together, he thought to himself viciously. "I believe…yes…I have biology with Mr. Hancock."

"Hey, I'm heading in that direction as well! I'll show you where to go."

"Thanks." The two of them made their way through the hall in an awkward silence, but Randy was quick to break it by asking Sherlock questions.

"What do you think of Rinehall so far? I know Micklebery makes it seem about as thrilling as a funeral, but it's not that bad, I promise." Randy chuckled at his own joke, revealing perfectly white teeth.

"Honestly, I have not been overly impressed with this place." Sherlock noticed Randy raise an eyebrow at this, but his hazel eyes were twinkling like stars with amusement at his remark. "The people here seem a little…below average at best."

Taken aback by this, Randy nearly stopped in his tracks. "Whoa mate! These are my people you're talking about! They're your people too now, by the way! What makes them so "below average," as you say?"

Remembering what Evalane wrote in her letter, Sherlock grinned and decided to take this as an opportunity to show his classmate exactly what he was capable of. "You see that girl over there?" Sherlock nodded to a girl pulling books from her locker.

"Missy Peters? What about her?"

Oh no, he's friends with her. He must be. Sherlock could not believe he was so close to making a friend, and now he was about to completely ruin it. "Well, without knowing anything about her personally, I can tell that she comes from a wealthy family and has a strained relationship with her parents, most likely her father."

"What makes you say that?"

"At first glance, it's rather obvious the girl has money: the brand-new blouse and skirt, shoes in mint condition, as well as what appears to be a designer bag. Now, how do we know her family is wealthy rather than the chances of her having a job and buying these nice things for herself? Simple. Look at the way she is handling her bag. See how she's nonchalantly tossing it over her shoulder, and how she used her seemingly new shoes to kick her locker shut? More likely than not, if she had purchased these things with her own money, she would be treating her things with a bit more care. As for her parents, the wrinkles on her skirt and blouse say she is constantly rolling up her skirt, which may seem like she is trying to draw in the attention of her male peers to herself. Judging by the way she is eyeballing that older and attractive male teacher, her relationship with her father is… nonexistent… at best."

Randy threw his head back, and grabbing his stomach, let out a wholesome and genuine laugh. People around the two boys could not help but smile along with Randy, and it didn't seem to matter that they had no idea what he was laughing at. They just smiled at the sound of it.

"You're one funny bastard, Sherlock!" Randy wrapped his arm around his new friend like it was always meant to be there. "Let me tell you just how right you are about Missy…"

He began to go on about this girl to Sherlock, but if Sherlock was being honest, he wasn't listening to a word coming out of Randy's mouth. Earlier this morning, Sherlock had been preparing himself to only have social communication with Evalane via letters for the entire year. Now he seemed to have made a friend on his first day at Rinehall. It was unbelievable to him, almost too good to be true. Evalane was right, everything would be alright here. While he missed his friend more than he ever could have imagined, he knew she would be over the moon to hear about Randy.

While Sherlock was meeting new people at his new school, Eva was still trying to figure out how to get to know the old ones at Hogwarts. The clocks scattered around the castle read five minutes until Eva was to supposed to meet Harry by the lake. She had arrived early, of course. The last thing she wanted was to be late and make Harry believe she did not care.

The day was pleasantly warm, and the pale blue sky was free of any clouds. The sunlight danced on the glasslike water of the lake, and the coolness of the grass embraced her entire body as her fingers intertwined through the individual blades. Wind whistled through the forest leaves in perfect harmony with the song of the birds chirping in the distance. Evalane felt completely alone here, but she was not necessarily scared or sad about it. The isolation was comforting in a way. No one could hurt her here. There was only the serenity of the crystal lake glistening in the sunshine.

"Evalane!" Harry's voice jolted her back to reality, so she rose from her spot to embrace her little brother.

"It's good to see you, Harry," she muffled softly as she held her grip on him. He returned her hug, and Evalane noted how much more relaxed he seemed compared to their meeting in the Great Hall that morning. "Have a seat!"

"How was your first day of classes?" Harry began once they had both managed to get comfortable.

"Not too bad, Professor McGonagall spoke to me after the Transfiguration lesson about my placement test coming up. She was warning me that the workload may be overwhelming, but she's excited that I am so eager to learn. She's much kinder than I was expecting."

Harry grinned at this, nodding his head rapidly. "McGonagall's great, isn't she?"

"She is! Far less confrontational than Professor Snape was this morning!"

"You had Snape today? Blimey, how did that go?" Harry's slender nose scrunched up in disgust at the man's name, but Evalane elected to ignore it.

"Well he tried to make me look foolish in front of a litter of eleven years by asking me an Advanced Potions question; however, answering the question correctly made matters worse because he thought you had coached me what questions he would ask!" Harry winced at the memory of his first day in Snape's class. The memory of being berated by the professor on the first day still felt fresh, even two years later. "Naturally he asked me a different question, and when I answered that correctly as well, I think he was actually impressed! He awarded Slytherin ten points for my "preparation for today's lesson." Though, I'm sure if I had not been there, none of the other students would have been asked such questions."

Nodding in agreement, Harry said, "Probably not."

Silence lingered between the siblings for a moment too long, so this forced Evalane to realize that getting to know her brother would not be an overnight event, unfortunately. "So," she crossed her legs underneath her and turned to Harry. "Is there anything you wanted to know about me? I know this whole "sister" concept has probably been overwhelming for you."

"Um, I hadn't really thought of anything," Harry admitted, running his fingers through his wild hair. "Well, I guess, where have you been staying all this time?"

"London. Well, more on the outskirts of London. I've been living in a small cottage with, um, a man by the name of Todd Knaggs. He's, uh, he's the one who found me. At the house…"

"Oh," Harry whispered. Eva could not tell if he exactly understood what she was implying. In fact, she did not understand that her situation was abnormal until she was older. While she had wonderful memories of her life with a loving family, a child at the age she was would have no reason to not believe that other children were not experiencing what she had been. "Do you remember them? Mum and Dad?"

The question turned back the clock, and suddenly Harry was ten years younger, just a small, scared child wanting to find answers and feel safe again. Eva's throat tightened, and salty tears began to burn in her eyes. Regardless, she smiled as best she could and wrapped her arm around her little brother. "I do."

"What were they like?"

"Kind. Mum- to this day -is the kindest and most genuine person I have ever met. And Dad?" She chuckled gently. "Dad could light up a room with his humor and charm, but he would follow Mum around like a lost puppy most of the time!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! Mum was the glue that held our home together!" Harry paused at this. He was holding something back, Eva could see it in his eyes. "Harry?"

"Has…has anyone explained to you why they died?"

 **Author's Note: I'm back friends! Not sure how I feel about this chapter, so please feel free to write a review and let me know what you think! xx**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hello my lovelies! So sorry for the hiatus, but college was very demanding this past semester. I have missed posting and hopefully will be able to more often! Thank you so much for sticking around! Just a warning, this chapter does have mature language and some violence towards the end, so tread carefully! As always, please feel free to leave a review, as I love your feedback! xx**

Chapter 9

Evalane's stomach dropped at her brother's question. Why they died? Why would anyone have to explain _why_ her parents died? To be completely honest, the question never even crossed her mind. She had been more concerned with learning about how they died, since all she really remembered was seeing the green light.

"What do you mean?" Evalane held her breath, not knowing if she wanted to hear his answer.

"Well, um, you know they were, um, were killed, right?"

Evalane nodded slowly. "That's all I could ever assume, really."

"Right," Harry fumbled over his words. "Their killer… I mean… they knew he was coming for them."

"How?"

"There was a war," Harry began. "A dark wizard named Voldemort- though most people just call him He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named -had been gathering Pureblood wizards- people from one hundred percent magical families -because he wanted to rid the world of Muggles and Muggle born wizards."

"Why would he want that?"

"I'm not sure exactly," Harry admitted, but he would have worried both of them if he understood the mind of a lunatic. "I've been told that he saw Muggle blood as dirty, so only wizards from Pureblood families deserved magical abilities, which is why some Purebloods will call Muggle borns Mudbloods."  
"That's horrific! Surely there cannot be that significant of a difference between Purebloods and Muggle born?"

"You know, Hermione is a Muggle born," Harry eagerly noted. "And she's at the top of my class!"

"That does not surprise me in the slightest." Evalane smiled briefly. She knew the young witch was bright, especially for her age, and it warmed her heart to know that she was bright despite the odds being against her.

"Anyway," Harry's face returned to the somber expression. "Our parents were on the side of the light, and from what I know, they got in Voldemort's way a time or two. So, on Halloween twelve years ago, he broke into the house… and…"

"He killed them." Her words felt hollow and heavy on her tongue.

"Yeah…" Harry paused. "And then, he tried to kill me with the same curse, but he couldn't. That's how I got this." His scar. That lightning bolt scar on her baby brother's forehead was the result of a madman's curse, with the intention to kill him. "Instead of killing me, the spell must have bounced back to Voldemort, so everyone thought he was dead."

In that moment, her life took a completely different meaning. Her brother was nearly a victim of murder like their parents, but he survived by some miracle. She could not help but wonder if this Voldemort had known she was in the wardrobe that night, would he have tried to kill her as well? Would he have succeeded?

"Does it hurt?"

"Not normally," Harry shrugged. "It only hurts when he's aro und, honestly."

"You've encountered him before?" Evalane gasped. "Where? When?"

"Twice in the last two years," Harry spoke with the same nonchalance as though he were explaining why one gets out of bed in the morning. "In my first year, he was kind of, well, kind of attached to one of our professor's head. Then last year, he- or I suppose a form of him -was in a diary all year to control Ron's sister into releasing a giant snake into the castle."

"Whoa," Evalane, for the first time, was at a complete loss for words. "Those sound absolutely dreadful."

Harry chuckled, "Yeah, I suppose it wasn't the highlight of the year." Harry continued to explain the many antics he and his friends had gotten into over the last two years at Hogwarts. Evalane wondered what she would have done if she had been here with her little brother through all of this. Would she support his obvious meddling in adult problems, or would she step in and try to protect his innocence for as long as she could? She supposed she would never really know, given the past is no longer tangible for her.

Time flew past them without their notice, and the sun was beginning to fall into the horizon like honey dripping off the comb. The Potter siblings gathered their things and made their way back into the Great Hall. The feast had already begun by the time they arrived, with the smells of fresh bread and roasted chicken crept into their nostrils. They parted ways, walking to their respectable House tables. Gryffindors and Slytherins alike stared at the two young wizards, but Evalane was easily reassured because she was finally reconnecting with the brother she had always worried to be nothing more than a fantasy. Harry James Potter was a hero to the wizarding world, the youngest Gryffindor seeker on the Quidditch team, a Gryffindor, and most importantly, her little brother.

The rest of Evalane's night was less exciting. She had managed to find copies of all the textbooks necessary from the last four years in the library, and she was slowly reading and analyzing every word and picture to prepare for her placement exam the next night. While Evalane's memory was sharper and more advanced than the average person, the memorization meant nothing if she did not understand what the content means. Magic alone was complex and difficult to comprehend, so it does not exactly help when some of the books are either sloppily handwritten in thick, black ink or so worn the binding was almost as thin as the pages within. Nonetheless, Evalane went mentally went over every spell, potion, and theory with such a dedication that she did not notice the young third year sitting across from her.

"Were you going to take notes?" The voice startled Evalane, making goosebumps ripple over her entire body. Her eyes moved up from the article on werewolves and ways to recognize one to see Hermione Granger. Her bushy brown hair nearly hid her face completely, and she had just about buried herself in her already worn textbooks.

"I don't really need to," Evalane explained. "I trust my memory enough to hold onto what I need."

"Oh, well, I was going to ask if you wanted some of my old notes? I still have them, and it might help you get a better idea of what each professor looks for?"

This sweet girl was willing to pull out old notes from almost four years ago just to help her, a girl she barely knew. Maybe she was genuinely this kind? No, Evalane suspected there was more to it than that. Of course, she had no doubt that Hermione was kind and genuinely wanted to help her, but Hermione was revealing her insecurities to Evalane without even realizing it. The act itself of offering her old notes showed Evalane how much Hermione feared failure. For one thing, she implied that she still held onto her notes from even her first year. Having these notes suggested that Hermione feels the need to always be prepared to know the correct answer to any question, no matter how unlikely it may be for someone to ask her about what was discussed on the thirteenth day of Transfiguration her second year. Not knowing the answer completely terrifies Hermione. Being a disappointment haunts her everyday life.

For another thing, Hermione Granger seemed to be the kind of person who craved friendship. Honestly, people don't just offer handwritten notes to just anyone. Yes, Evalane was Harry's long-lost sister, but that in no way would require Hermione to go above and beyond to help her. This was a girl who wanted to make memories and friendships here. Not because she was an overly social person but because she wasn't. Hermione seemed to spend an abundant amount of time consumed by her coursework, so she used any opportunity to make friends.

Evalane did not mind any of this. In fact, it was at that moment that Evalane decided that Hermione Granger was a worthy friend. She knew she needed someone with their priorities straight, so she happily accepted the young Gryffindor's notes.

"Thank you for your help, Hermione." She collected the papers and began flipping through them. She couldn't help but admire the girl's delicate handwriting. "I really appreciate it."

Hermione beamed, and she started to make a hasty exit. Evalane grabbed her wrist before she could scurry off. "You're welcome to stay and hang out for a bit? Maybe help me go over some of this material before tomorrow?"

"Of course! Why don't we start with Transfiguration…"

The sun began to slowly creep above the horizon, with its rays pouring through every window of the castle. The only light in Evalane's room, however, came from the wax candle silently melting on her desk. She was finally caught up with the textbooks and the notes, but she was still nervous about the upcoming exam that afternoon. Looking back, she figured that it probably would have been wise to get some sleep that night, but she really did not think she had the time. Her eyes, heavy with exhaustion, glanced over to her clock. Five minutes until breakfast.

"Coffee," Evalane mumbled to no one at all. She lifted herself from her chair, but her body felt as though bricks were tied to her limbs. She made the mistake of glancing at her reflection in the small mirror hanging on the wall. The dark circles under her eyes made her green irises seem dull, and she noticed a gentle sway from her head, as though she were standing on a ship in the middle of a brewing storm. "Lovely."

The scents of maple syrup and cinnamon were flowing through the Great Hall, but the only smell Evalane cared about was the bitter black coffee sitting in the mug in front of her. Mindless chatter from the other students surrounded her, but her focus was on allowing as much caffeine as possible into her body. It was absolutely disgusting. Sherlock would always tell her how much of an energy boost coffee would give her, but she never felt she needed it before now. One all night study session later, and she knew the only thing that would stand between her and receiving a perfect score on her exam was this cup of scorching hot liquid.

"Well, well, well," a voice chuckled from behind her, causing her to nearly drop her coffee onto her lap. Evalane turned to see one of the Weasley twins standing behind her. Deep voice, wide and quirky grin, and no freckle.

"Hello Fred," Evalane said. "Odd seeing you without George. Is everything okay?"  
"Oh yeah!" Fred chuckled, running his fingers through his shiny orange hair. "I was just, um, wanting to wish you good luck. I know you have that…that big test today, so I hope it, uh, goes well."

"Thanks," she responded, giving the boy a gentle smile. "I stayed up all night studying, so hopefully it pays off. Otherwise, I've made myself look like complete rubbish for nothing."

"Well, I don't think you look like complete rubbish." Fred chuckled. "A little tired, maybe. But hey, once you're finished, me and George were thinking about hanging out with some friends down at the lake. You're welcome to join if you want?"

A few Slytherins had turned their heads to eavesdrop on their interaction, but Evalane tried her best to ignore them. She thought the rivalry between the two houses was ridiculous. Common sense would suggest that Slytherins and Gryffindors should be spending more time with one another in order to see that they really weren't as different as they thought. Evalane assumed, however, that many of these students had been raised with strong beliefs and prejudices that would not disappear overnight. If she had to be the one to build the bridge between the two, then so be it.

"I would love to!" She smiled. "Would it be alright if I brought a few friends? From Slytherin, of course?"

Fred hesitated, as though he was completely taken aback by her request, but he immediately wiped it from his expression. "Yeah! The more the merrier!"

"Brilliant," Evalane said as she raised her mug as though she were toasting to the invitation. Fred released a mighty laugh from his chest at the sight of the sour expression on Evalane's face as she allowed the bitterness to pass through her lips once again.

Once breakfast was finished and regular classes had begun, Evalane found herself standing in an abandoned Great Hall. Without the wooden tables and the hundreds of students speaking a hundred kilometers a minute, the room seemed far larger than Evalane could have imagined. The only object that remained was a single wooden desk with a quill and a bottle of fresh ink. Dumbledore stood on the platform where the Head Table once sat, and he watched with a blank gaze as Evalane took a seat.

"Miss Evalane Lily Potter," Dumbledore's voice echoed against the walls of the Great Hall. "You are about to begin the first ever Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Entrance and Placement Examination. This exam will consist of both written and practical tests, provided by the professors of Hogwarts. The written exam consists of three hundred questions that cover materials from the core classes of Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, History of Magic, and Potions. You will have three hours to complete the written portion, and the practical exams will begin after a break for lunch. Do you have any questions before we begin?"

When Evalane said nothing, Dumbledore gave his wand a small flick, and a stack of parchment appeared on the desk. With another wave of his wand, Dumbledore conjured a large, gold hourglass, and the sand at the top began too slowly pour into the bottom glass. From the moment the first grain of sand landed, words appeared on the parchment, and Evalane quickly dipped her quill into the ink to begin the test.

Dumbledore stood silently as he watched the young girl scribble her answers on the page. The old wizard was unsure if she was moving through the test at such a rapid pace because she was a complete genius or because she had no idea what she had gotten herself into. Regardless, her speed was impressive. Most students would panic at the idea of such a critical and massive examination, but Miss Potter was acting as though this were just another Friday morning. She truly had the same dedication and spunk as her mother.

Lily would have been so proud of her, Dumbledore thought sadly to himself. Then again, she wouldn't have to be taking this test in the first place if she had started four years ago like she should have.

Mustn't blame ourselves, Dumbledore's mind was spinning. The letter was sent on schedule. Most everyone thought she had been killed that night. Sending a search party for someone who could be anywhere in the world seemed just as silly then as it did that night in Godric's Hollow. Besides, Miss Potter seemed to be doing just fine for herself as is. She would do great things at Hogwarts. He would be sure of it. Through his half-moon spectacles, he looked to the sand running through the hour glass, about halfway.

"Sir," Evalane said, snapping to old man back to reality. "Sorry to startle you, but I've finished."

"Did you now?" Dumbledore walked towards her and found every page had been filled with black ink in her delicate handwriting. He could not know for sure, but from what he could see, Evalane was going to get a fairly good score. Great, even. "Well done, Miss Potter. If you would like, you may take a small break before the practical exams…"

"If it's all the same to you, sir," Evalane interrupted. "Would I be able to start the practical's now? It would really ease my nerves to just get them over with."

"I will have to discuss it with your professors, but I don't see why not."

Evalane had honestly underestimated the magical abilities of coffee. Time felt like it was flying by. Her body had never felt lighter, and the only sign of exhaustion came from the slight twitch in her fingers and the growing fogginess in her mind. Luckily, her exams were not affected too much by this. Most of them, like Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick, had her cast a few charms and explain what certain spells did. Professor Binns, the ghost teaching History of Magic, just rambled dates at her while she recited the historical event that occurred at the time. Then, Professor Sprout, bless her heart, brought in a few magical plants, and she had Evalane explain the parts of each plant as well as their use in the magical world.

Each professor seemed to be fairly impressed with her efforts. Professor McGonagall even told her that she expected Evalane to do very well in her remaining years at Hogwarts, however many that may be.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was next, and Evalane was truly looking forward to seeing her Uncle Moony in action. She could only imagine how proud her parents would be to see their good friend as a Hogwarts professor. Lupin walked into the Great Hall, using magic to bring in a large wardrobe. Upon placing the wardrobe on the ground, it began to violently shake, and the hinges rattled like a prisoner's chains.

"Good morning, Miss Potter." Lupin grinned, his eyes sparkling with excitement and pride. "My name is Professor Lupin, and I will be your instructor for the Defense Against the Dark Arts practical examination."

"Brilliant," Evalane exclaimed, returning the grin. She held her wand firmly in her hand, an eleven-inch wand made of aspen with a unicorn hair core. Some man named Ollivander had sent it to her that morning. The owl had a small note attached to its ankle that read: "I heard you were finally beginning your schooling at Hogwarts. I always suspected this would be a good match for you. -Ollivander." Whoever he was, he seemed to have a great understanding of wands. The magical object had been serving her well throughout her exam so far, so she was confident she would be able to pass Lupin's test with it.

"Now," Lupin began speaking, carefully pacing in front of the wardrobe. "Can you explain to me what a boggart is?"

Diving deep into her mind palace, Evalane quickly found an exact replica of the page explaining boggarts. "A boggart is a shapeshifting non-being that takes the form of a person's worst fear," Evalane answered. "A boggart is amortal, so to defeat a boggart, one can only confuse it, most often done with laughter. The incantation when facing a boggart is _Riddikulus_."

Lupin smiled again. "Well done, Miss Potter. Now, what I have in this wardrobe will require the use of said spell. Are you prepared?"

Sitting up straight and tightening her grip on her wand, Evalane nodded. Professor Lupin then opened the wardrobe to release the boggart.

Evalane was not sure what she was expecting to step out of the wardrobe, but she certainly wasn't expecting it to be Todd Knaggs. He looked just as he did the day she left for Hogwarts. What was left of his balding and grey hair was dripping in grease, and his eyes were bloodshot from staying up the entire night vomiting an entire paycheck's worth of vodka. His white tank top had faded to a pale yellow, covered with a rainbow of stains. An empty bottle of Grey Goose was placed firmly in his hand.

"What did I fucking tell you," his voice came from the boggart's lips raspy and harsh. "About not coming home…when I…when I fucking tell you to?"

Evalane forgot how to breathe for a moment. The shakiness of her hands rapidly worsened, but she attempted to raise her wand in front of her anyway. It wasn't real. He was not really there. Oh, but it was very convincing.

"Did you really think," Todd growled, inching closer with every word. "That I wouldn't find you? Did you…did you honestly believe I wouldn't find out?"

"Riddikulus," Evalane barely whispered the spell. She was trying to think of something funny to turn the boggart into. Was it a boggart? Maybe this was all a dream. Harry, Hogwarts, everything, and Todd was all that was real. "Riddikulus," she said again with a bit more force.

When nothing happened, Todd began to laugh. His breath was now inches from her face, and she could smell last night's sick. Without warning, the burning of her cheek returned, and it felt just as real as it did growing up.

"Stupid bitch," he said, now towering over her. "None of this is real. Your brother isn't real. Your stupid school isn't real. Magic. Isn't. Real." Using all of the force in his body, Todd shoved her to the floor. Tears were now flowing freely from her eyes, and her mind was racing for an escape.

"RIDDIKULUS!" She screamed with all the energy left in her body, her wand pointed between the monster's eyes. For a moment, it seemed to work. Todd Knaggs suddenly became Sherlock's older brother Mycroft stumbling around in roller skates. She remembered when she and Sherlock were spying on him a few years ago when he took some girl on a date to the roller rink. They laughed about it for hours. Unfortunately, the memory wasn't strong enough because Mycroft turned back into Todd as quickly as before.

"You didn't really think that would work, did you?" Todd moved closer once again, shattering the bottle against the desk still sitting in the room. "You could never do anything like that. You could never do anything right. They'll see one day. They will all see what a failure you really are."

Evalane's mind went blank with rage in that moment. She raised her wand at its ugly face once again, and while she may have intended to use the riddikulus spell, all she could do was scream. Every fear, every worry, and every doubt she ever had was released in one barbaric yawp. The wardrobe and the desk began to violently shake, and the candles that floated over head either flickered or blew out entirely. The boggart did not look confused, no. It looked horrified, but only for a moment. When Evalane's body finally collapsed, all that was left of the boggart was dust, and Evalane immediately lost consciousness.


End file.
